The Nation Newspaper

Tag: cashew

  • Nigeria gets ACA’s support on cashew waste recycling

    The  African  Cashew  Alliance has  reiterated  its  commitment to helping  Nigeria implement changes needed to reduce poverty  through  creation of  jobs  in  cashew waste  recycling.

    Presenting  the USAID-funded Trade Hub Project commissioned study on  environmental management of  cashew processing industry, ACA SEAL Coordinator,  Dorcas D. Amoh  said  Nigeria and other West African countries are denying  themselves the opportunities of  providing  more jobs and generating  additional revenue by  not  deploying  technologies  to  transform  waste  to  products  that  will  speed  up  industrial development.

    According  to study, Amoh said  there  were  very positive results within the Cashew Value Chain in West Africa in recent years, including expansions in production of raw cashew nut, a growth in installed processing capacity, and increased trade, but  noted  that  the  processing industry generates a significant waste stream with 50 to 75 per cent of cashew nut shells left over after processing.

    Waste from cashew nut shells, she  noted  mounts up quickly and most processing plants have found it difficult to dispose of it properly, with growing mounds of waste dumps on-site. The presence of caustic  CNSL (cashew nut shell liquid) in the waste, she  referred  to the study  slowed natural decomposition and can lead to local site contamination and toxic run-off into nearby surface waters.

    The dark and oily waste stream,she noted,  has given the cashew industry a slight black eye and prompted growing concern about the environmental implications of cashew processing. Accordingly, and in line with its project-wise Environmental Mitigation and Monitoring Plan (EMMP),she  said  the USAID-funded Trade Hub Project commissioned the study of the environmental management of the cashew processing industry to address  issues of adverse environmental impacts .

    The intention,according to her, is  to  seek solutions  and  improve the marketability of African cashew in an increasingly globalised market demanding sustainable production. Doing so,she  added  would help to  expand West Africa’s comparative advantage in cashew production and processing.

    To her, the cashew processing  presents an  opportunity to diversify income sources  from  the subsector.

  • Talks on cashew development strategy

    Talks on cashew development strategy

    Stakeholders from the government, private sector, international community and the civil society,are meeting   in Ilorin next week to draw up a development plan  for cashew. The worshop which aims to develop a holistic plan to revamp the industry will encourage business competitiveness and environmental sustainability in the industry.

    Scheduled for August 17 and 18, the programme will be hosted by the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) in collaboration with  the USAID Nigeria Expanded Trade and Transport Project (NEXTT) and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC).

    The USAID West Africa Trade Hub Network Project (THN) is the sole sponsor for the event.

    A statement from ACA said the aim of the workshop is to increase the competitiveness of cashew processing by actively involving processors in training sessions. The sessions will cover issues of business competitiveness and environmental sustainability which are crucial to the future of the industry. The training sessions will cover essential technical aspects for processing business competitiveness, such as cost-­ controlling, productivity and efficiency, market information systems, food safety regulations, and policy advocacy.

    The participating processors will then have the chance to discuss local challenges and draw up action plans for the Nigerian cashew sector.

    According to the statement, the workshop will include the launch of a new environmental study for the  cashew industry which  was prepared by USAID’s Trade Hub Network project.

    Another highlight is the feature of a panel of cashew industry experts to consider the study and hear from the Nigerian Cashew Committee on the ongoing development of a national strategy, originally devised in October last year to increase local business competitiveness.

    With processors as their main audience, the statement said industry experts will contribute to a dynamic workshop agenda aimed at strengthening the processing sector.

    Business Advisory Manager at ACA, Sunil Dahiya, said: “By building local capacities and facilitating PPP dialogue for prompt cashew policy advocacy within the country, this workshop will do much to further the long— term sustainability and vitality of the cashew industry.”

  • Trade Hub to boost cashew nut production

    The West Africa Trade Hub of the  United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has earmarked over US$150,000 to help finance processing raw cashew nuts to increase regional trade competitiveness, improve food security, and reduce poverty over the next five years.

    The programme, which is in partnership with Cashew Alliance, is among other objectives, aimed at boosting international exports, jobs, and investments; and also to promote broader, more sustainable growth by improving both the private sector’s capacity and policies, rules and practices that govern regional and external trade.

    It will also increase regional trade in key commodities through more value added exports: shea, cashew, mango, rice, maize, millet/sorghum, livestock — cattle, and small ruminants.

    Value Chain Development Team Lead of the Trade Hub, Mr. William Bill Noble, said  in Accra, at a workshop organised for finance-access facilitators from some selected African countries and aimed at training them to secure finance and investment for firms to help increase the level of transformation in the processing of raw nuts to add-value — said: “We are going to provide financing to promote cashew nut processing in the region through approval of business plans and proposals. It is a trade project working with processors to add value to such commodities.”

    There are over 40,000 metric tonnes (mt) of raw cashew nuts produced in the country, all in rural areas creating employment for thousands, with women in the majority, and export figures averaging 80,000mt: with inflows from Cote d’Ivoire, Burkina Faso and Benin going to major destinations such as India, Vietnam and Brazil.

     

  • Freight increase upsets agro shippers

    Freight increase upsets agro shippers

    Agroexporters have expressed dismay over the increase   shipping freight by shipping agents. They fear that this would lead to higher costs and lower competitiveness of produce.

    Chairman, Atanda and Anjorin and Sons, Mr  Sunday Anjorin,  said  the  industry  is  challenged  by  various  charges  for haulage for  exports  by shipping  firms,  which  most  times  eaten into the  profit  margin.

    He   said   such   charges were not  working in favour of  exporters  to  reduce  inputs costs, even as a stronger currency erodes their earnings.

    He said there were regulations to protect plant, animal and human health which affect processed agricultural products.

    One of the main reasons that small and medium scale producers are not participating in export of   agricultural commodities is that they cannot meet strict food safety and quality standards  required by  foreign buyers.

    According  to him,   certain developments in  international  trade  are a matter of concern, especially the increasingly complex and stringent food safety and environmental requirements .

    Such requirements , include phytosanitary regulations and  traceability for fruit and vegetables.

    Earlier, President, National Cashew Association of Nigeria(NCAN), Tola Faseru, said the industry was facing new challenges and needed to continue to adapt and upgrade its capabilities.

    “This is as a result of emerging regulations and standards, as well as health, environment and security concerns, notably in Europe, North America and Japan. Consequently, creating new and increasing demands on the packaging of agro exports. For this reason, he advised small business exporters to develop the mindset that they are competing in international markets and packaging is an important part of that competition.

    “The impact is great on exporters of cashew nuts. Consequently, exporting cashew kernels now requires volume, a large investment in factory, equipment and raw material to achieve international expectations.“

    He stressed that deterioration in export crop quality was serious.

  • Cocoa, cashew farmers decry multiple taxation

    Multiple taxes and levies by state and local governments are taking a toll on cashew and cocoa farmers, making it difficult for them to meet the cost of farm inputs.

    Stakeholders have appealed to the government to overhaul the tax system to enable farmers to overcome the challenges of climate change, spiralling input prices and the cost of energy.

    Rising from a meeting in Lagos to review the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan they urged him to ignore calls to ban cocoa beans export.

    At the meeting, were the National President, Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN), Sayina Riman and his counterpart in National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) , Mr. Tola Faseru, Cocoa Exporters Nigeria Group, Chief Olu Ogini and National Publicity Secretary of NCAN, Mr. Sotonye Anga, among others.

    They demanded that the suspension of Negotiable Duty Credit Certificate (NDCC) by the Customs be lifted and multiple taxes and levies by state and local governments be abolished.

    They urged government at all levels to promote local consumption and utilisation of cocoa and cashew products, create an enabling environment for value addition and partner with CAN and NCAN in stimulating growth across the value chain.

    “We agree with the policy of the Federal Government towards stimulating growth in the sector by the involvement of true stakeholders.The policy should be consistent and structured and government should acknowledge the huge investments and contributions to the economy by all stakeholders in the value chain which directly benefit over five million families.

    “Government should support the data collation of tree crop farmers given its peculiarities and the need for proper planning.

    “The government should collaborate with the associations in enforcing ground rules within the trade structure and should ensure that Export Expansion Grant (EEG) policy is sustained,” the group said in a communiqué.

  • NEXIM disburses N7.5b to cashew sector

    The Nigerian Export Importank (NEXIM) has disbursed $50 million (N7.5billion) to the cashew sector from 2002 to date.

    The Managing Director of the

    bank, Mr Robert Orya, disclosed this at the NEXIM and Nigerian Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) Finance forum in Lagos.

    He said if the industry is well harnessed, it could generate N24 billion yeraly.

    Orya, who was represented by a Director in the bank, the Very Rev. Ifeanyi Nwade, said the cashew industry has implications for increased export revenue, development of the industry and increased job creation in line with the transformation agenda of the Federal Government.

    He said the industry has continued to operate below its potential. This, according to him, is as a result of problems ranging from low yielding plantations to inadequate processing facilities and low level of access to finance.

    He noted that Nigeria, the world’s sixth largest producer of cashew, with annual production of about 120,000 tonnes, will be a good employer of labour if properly harnessed.

    “The inability of our local producers to process their products has meant that about 95 per cent of the annual production is exported as raw commodities with attendant low prices and inability of our producers and exporters to receive commensurate reward for their efforts.

    “To address some of the above challenges, NEXIM in collaboration with the African Cashew Alliance (ACA), and the United State Agency for International Development (USAID), launched the Nigerian Cashew Cluster Finance Scheme in 2012, through which NEXIM disbursed about N150million under the pilot scheme and has cumulatively disbursed about N1billion till date to the sub-sector,” Orya said.