By Nsan Ndoma-Neji, Calabar
In her effort to boost cocoa production and expand the estates to increase the production capacity of cocoa in the state, the Cross River State government on Thursday kicked-off the distribution of 100,000 improved variety of cocoa seedlings to farmers in the South senatorial district of the state at no cost.
The purpose of the improved variety distribution, which begins fruiting from two years, to the farmers in the South senatorial district of the state is to help expand cocoa production in the senatorial district of the state and make every farmer become green millionaires.
Flagging off the exercise at the CRBC demonstration farm, Calabar, the state deputy governor, Prof. Evara Esu, urged the farmers to be serious with the business of planting the cash crop in large quantity so that they can own estates of their own.
The deputy fovernory stressed that having a large estate of cocoa can transformed them into multi millionaires.
Represented by a former Commissioner for Finance and All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for the South senatorial district, Mr. Asuquo Ekpeyong, the deputy governor encouraged the people of the South not to relent in the cultivation of cocoa, which he said was an international cash crop that remains the mainstay of economy of most African nations of the world, like Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria.
In his remarks, the Special Adviser, SA, to Governor Ben Ayade on Cocoa Development and Control, Ntufam Dr Oscar Ofuka, challenged the people of the South to take their destinies in their hands by aggressively embarking on cocoa cultivation, which would turnaround the fortunes of their lives on the long run.
He said, “With the improved seedlings’ distribution, the state stands the chance of regenerating our moribund estates planted decades ago during the administration of late Dr. Michael Okpara.
“We are interested in making the people of Cross River South senatorial district green millionaires.
“To benefit from the free improved variety seedlings, you must be an owner of farm land. Our intention is to take young people out of the streets.
“The South has comparative advantage, unknowingly, the Okpara administration only concentrated in planting cocoa in the Central, which is even far from the coastal area.
“If I were Okpara, I would have open the estates in the South, which is even very close to the sea port and easy to shift the beans for export.”
