NCAN sets to generate about N80b from cashew exports in 2016 – Anga

• To hosts International Cashew Stakeholders Festival in 2016, ranks 6^th largest producer in the world.

The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) scribe, Mr Sotonye Anga has disclosed that the association is set to generate about N80 billion from cashew export in 2016, during the 2nd Annual Cashew Logistics Meeting in Lagos..

Anga who noted that shipping lines had recognised cashew as revenue generating cash crop and contributor to the country’s economy, reiterated that the shipping companies account for more than 80 per cent of exported cargoes from Nigeria. The Shipping companies also attended the conference.

Anga reaffirmed that there is need for improvement in the handling of cashew which will propel significant improvement in the country’s economic performance. He added that the shipping lines have recognised the economic relevance of cashew and that is why you can see their chief executives and decision makers represented at this meeting.

He however expressed that the meeting will afford the association opportunity to take steps to advance Nigeria’s cashew export to destinations like India, Vietnam, China, Middle East, Europe, U.S. and others, as he expects that Nigeria should generate about N80 billion from cashew export in 2016 season and trade in a manner that will impact on the value chain.

Anga said the association believed in strong bond between NCAN and the shipping lines and promised: to leverage on the relationship to ensure that 2016 cashew exports is hitch-free. He noted that the exporting will have zero claims because of damages to cashew cargo when containers are well dressed with adequate number of desiccants and Kraft papers.

Meanwhile, Mr Tola Faseru, the President of NCAN, has inaugurated the Cashew Logistics Committee and the Cashew Improvement Committee to ensure a hitch-free 2016 cashew season.

The Export Manager of Safmarine, Mrs Maureen Okojie, said decisions on shipping services were time bound and stressed the need to look at shipment schedule between February and July 2016 for cashew shipments.

In the same vein an official of COSCO Shipping Company, Paulinius Effiong, advised forwarding agents to reject containers with holes.

However, the follwoing cashew shipping companies, exporters, forwarders and shipping lines were present at the meeting vis-a-vis Hull byth, Safmarine, Maersk, PIL, CMA CGM, United Arab Shipping Company and COSCO .

In another meeting, Mr Sotoye Anga disclosed that the association is set to host the upcoming International Cashew Stakeholders Festival in Febuaray,2016 , with the theme “Cashew: A Game Changer for the Nigerian Economy’’.

Anga explained that the forum would afford stakeholders the opportunity to draw strategies to attract investment into the cashew sub-sector, adding that the association has inaugurated a Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the festival.

The National spokesman further revealed that the festival would focus on drawing the right investments to the cashew sub-sector as a means to support the Federal Government’s effort to diversify the economy.

The festival, Anga said would kick-off the cashew harvesting and processing season in February 2016 and would serve as a platform to showcase the profile and investment opportunities in Nigerian cashew industry to the world.

Inaugurating the LOC, the spokesman reiterated, is to help the association to draw up plans for the event that will open up Nigeria for more investment in cashew, adding that Nigeria presently ranks among the top six cashew producers in the world, and as such, it is time to adequately exploit the full potential in cashew.

Anga counting the many benefits from such festival, narrated that more jobs will be created for young men and women if the right investment is made and more foreign exchange will be made with less pressure on the dollar.

“Everything about cashew is useful, its roots, juice, leaves, the tree and the nuts which are a great step at diversifying Nigeria’s economy,’’ the spokesperson of the association said.

Members of the festival LOC were drawn from Federal Ministries of Agriculture and Rural Development, Trade and Investment; Bank of Industry; NEXIM; Nigeria Shippers Council and Nigeria Export Promotion Council, with Anga, as the chairman of the committee.

Anga with LOC resolved that the committee posed to strongly promote the cashew value chain and believes that the cashew festival will focus on promoting the cashew value chain to attract investors.

“Such investments will position the country for sustainable growth and prosperity. The festival will create opportunities for networking as it will bring international and local stakeholders together”, Anga said.

Delegates are expected from more than 10 members’ countries, as the cashew festival will attract financiers, processors, breeders, marketers, exporters, researchers and scientists.