Toungo (Adamawa) -The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) said it had trained 82 Cocoa farmers on the use of chemicals, preservation and exportation of cocoa in Adamawa.
Alhaji Muhammed Yusuf, Yola Zonal Controller of the council, disclosed this at a one-day training organised for Cocoa farmers in Toungo Local Government Area of the state.
He said the workshop was organised to boost the capacity of the farmers as well as to increase their productivity and income generation.
He said the workshop would enable the farmers learn Integrated Pesticide Management (IPM), Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) and Good Warehousing Practice (GWP).
“Cocoa production in third world countries faces serious threat from some of the agro chemicals used by the farmers.
“Recently, European Union banned the importation of some agricultural commodities from Nigeria.
“Cocoa from Cote D’ Voire was rejected in the international markets as a result of the presence of toxins (poisonous substances) from the agro chemicals used on the cocoa farms,” Yusuf said.
He said to avoid similar problem for cocoa farmers in Nigeria the council considered it necessary to organise such workshop in the state being one of the cocoa producing states.
Yusuf said that one of the objectives of the workshop was to train major cocoa farmers in the state, who would later train others.
In a remark, Rev. Benjamin Gurama, chairman, National Cocoa Gold Farmers Association, said the training would solve problems being encountered by the farmers.
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“For several years we have been completely neglected without any agricultural incentive and market outlet from state and federal government.
“But with this development, the council has restored our confidence.” (NAN)