Federal Government has said it has concluded plans to establish a cashew processing plant in Abeokuta, Ogun state capital before the end of the year.The Director- General, Raw Material Research and Development Council, Prof. Peter Onwualu stated this when a delegation from the African Cashew Alliance (ACA) led by its President, Idrissa Kilangi paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja.Prof.Onwualu who disclosed that the cashew plant project was a collaboration between the RMRDC and the university of Agriculture, Abeokuta, revealed that more processing plants are being considered by the federal government.He further explained that the project would consolidate upon the the Council's cluster development programme which led to the establishment of a cashew processing plant in Kogi state.'The idea is that at the end of the day, we want to see a more organised cluster of cashew growers, processors marketers and so on,' he said.Onwualu disclosed that just like the plant in Kogi, the technology for the Abeokuta plant and other plants would be harnessed from the research institution or University.He added that the Council was cognizant of the existence of some clusters, but was working on injecting technology into these clusters and also establishing new technology-based ones.The Director- General said that the aim of the council is to ensure that Nigeria become a major player in the cashew industry and beyond Tanzania production level.'Our aim is to see that Nigeria becomes a major player in the cashew industry: we are already a major player but we want to be number one.'What we are doing is not only in the area of processing, we also want to look into the supply side because most of the plantations we have in Nigeria are aging.We are discussing with relevant stakeholders to see how we can actually begin to replant. one of the programmes we do here is to encourage farmers by actually giving them these things free,' he said.In his remark, the President of African Cashew Alliance, Idrissa Kilangi stated that cashew was a major cash crop that could be more beneficial to Africa if efficiently harnessed.Kilangi who owns a 35 tonnes per day capacity cashew processing plant in Tanzania decried the exportation of Nigeria's cashew to India, Vietnam and Brazil.'Nigeria you are exporting almost 80 per cent of raw cashew nuts: you export to India, Vietnam and Brazil: that is a loss: a very big loss.'Processing is adding value: if you sell raw cashew nuts you are just throwing it away: in the raw cashew nuts, you have about four items.'In your mentality you say you are selling kernel: there is a shell, the shell has its own use as well and it produces money,' he said.He called for a greater support for farmers and the various research institutions as farmers and processors were key to advancement of the industry.
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