The chairman of the National Association of Cashew Producers, Edo State chapter, Osas Ojeikere, has said that cashew farming has been a good source of income but bush burning and insecurity, among other challenges, are currently threatening it in the state.
Ojeikere said Edo remained one of the top cashew-producing states in the country with almost every local government into the cash crop production in large scale.
He noted that one of the major challenges cashew farmers are facing currently was bush burning, which has greatly affected production.
“People, especially those hunting for animals, do set fire on bushes, including cashew farms. Fire incidents have reduced the production rate of cashew, and if greatly affected, it may not have the capacity to produce that year,’’ he said,
He added that once the production rate declined as a result of the fire incidents, the yield will automatically drop, thereby affecting the farmers’ income.
Ojeikere also said that insecurity was another challenge affecting cashew farmers in the state, adding that many farmers are now afraid of going to farm due to kidnapping and other criminal activities.
“Kidnappers are abducting our members; and as such, many people are afraid of going to farm again. And even when the cashew produce mature, farmers can’t go to harvest them,” he added.
He said that because of insecurity, thieves are harvesting the nuts, depriving farmers the opportunity to reap the fruit of their labour.
Ojeikere also lamented that cashew farmers had not really benefitted from both state and federal governments in terms of inputs and grants.
He said, “Government’s assistance to cashew farmers is not very common as it is in other crops. It was only last year that we got seedlings from the former governor, Godwin Obaseki. We have not benefitted from chemicals and other inputs from both the state and federal governments.”
He lamented that cashew farmers had never gotten grants from the government, noting. “After oil and cocoa in the country, the next cash crop is cashew, but governments are not giving its due attention.”
Cashew is one of the produce that can attract foreign investors to the country, so it should be given the desired attention.
He said they had not benefitted from the extension service of the government as they had to rely on ideas from private agric experts to improve production.
“We have not been able to secure loans due to the stringent collateral usually demanded by banks. We use our money to farm cashew,” he also said.
How a new cashew farmer can improve yield
He further said that as a new farmer in cashew cultivation, one needs to get a land and clear it by using hired labourers or tractors.
“After clearing, ploughing and other preparations, you buy improved seedling for planting. If you apply the best practices within the period of 18 months, you will start harvesting,’’ he explained.
He added that the best planting season for cashew is between June and July when rainfall is high so that they can easily germinate and survive.
“When planting, you give about 20 feet distance because if you don’t give space they will not be able to spread and will not do well,” he advised.
Market for cashew and middlemen activities
He said there was market for cashew in Edo State because there are lots of foreigners coming to invest in cashew production.
He noted that the activities of middlemen were very pronounced in cashew sales in the state, saying they are always around to short-change cashew farmers.
He attributed the impact of middlemen’s activities to the existence of factional body in the association who are fighting hard to destroy the association.
Ojeikere said there had been money in cashew farming because as the dollar is appreciating, so is cashew price appreciating.
“Last year, we ended up at N1 million per tonne of cashew; and this year, it is N1.6 million,” he said.
He called on cashew farmers to keep expanding their farms and be resilient.
He also appealed to the government at all levels to remember cashew farmers by giving them grants for expansion.
“Nigeria was number one in cashew farming in Africa, but we are now number three. If the government can support cashew farmers, it would bring more revenue for the country,” he said.
