Kwara maintains second lead in Cashew production in Ngeria – Abioye

…urges KWSG to site cashew processing factory in Kwara South

The Chairman of Kwara South Cashew Dealers Association of Nigeria, Prince Hakeeb Sulaimon Abioye has said Kwara State had maintained second lead in the production of qualitative cashew nuts after Kogi in Nigeria, urging the Kwara State government to establish cashew processing factory in Kwara South

Abioye stated this while answering questions from our reporter penultimate Saturday, in his office.

According to him, There is no doubt the fact that ‘Kwara State has the best Cashew nuts interns of quality and quantity in Nigeria and we have continually sustaining that record. ‘
“The rating often time do fluctuates, but as of today, Kwara South has the largest quantity of cashew and quality in Nigeria. But we are appealing to the government to help us to curb the excesses of invaders. If not checked, it may affect our quantity and quality. Government should double it’s efforts on taskforce

“The Kwara State Government should as a matter of urgency come to the aid of the union by strengthen its taskforce to curb the menace of invaders in Kwaracashew farms, though we appreciate Mall. AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq’s policies toward improving value chain in cashew production,” the Erin-Ile prince said.

He added that tremendous achievements have happened in the union since his emergence as chairman, affirming he had been in the business of cashew in the three decades, saying the current executives intermittently engages members in seminars on how to properly invest and get profits in Cashew business.

“I inherited the business from my parents. They led us into the business at a tender age, and we made mark in the business. I have been in cashew trading for over 30 years now. There are lots of achievements recorded since I became the chairman that has direct impact on every members. One of it was that, prior my emergence, though I was part of the former executives at the state level as one of the task force. One of my achievement is that before now, the quality of cashewproduced in Kwara came with some challenges.

“When I assumed office, I work assiduously on improving the quality, to the extend that we organized seminars and enlightenment campaigns for farmers and members on how to prevent their cashew from the menace of low quality. As of today, Kwara cashew qualities has improved. We have also witness the coming of foreigners to demands for Kwara Cashew as a result of good quality. We have done all necessary things to make Kwara South and Kwara State at large have good Cashew quality.

“As I speaks, Kwara South have the best Cashewquality in Nigeria. That is one of our achievements. Two, we engaged our members in seminars on how to properly invest and get profits in Cashew business. We charted with lots of members on the need to know and understands the intricate of the business. Cashew business is not just anyhow business, you must learn it,,” Abioye stressed.

Continueing, “Before my arrival as Chairman, there was no proper database for Cashew activities in Kwara State. The delusion before now was that states like Oyo, Niger and Osun have Cashew more than Kwara State. But as of today, our data has proved them wrong. KwaraState is in the forefront in Nigeria when it comes to quality Cashew nuts.

“We ensures that Cashew nuts from Kwara undergo grading and that has positioned Kwara well in the global trade. As of today, Cashew Dealers are in synergy with the Kwara State Government all in the effort to let it be known that the state have quality products,” the Kwara South Cashew Dealer boss said.

Abioye however laments that a lots of challenges are confronting the growth and development of cashew business in Kwara state, calling on the Kwara State government to take clue from other states by providing loan for cashew dealers in the state.

“There are many problems facing Dealers in the state. One of it is that lots of people buying Cashew do not get backing or financial assistance from the Government on like our colleagues in other states. Cashew business is a big avenue to create employments. Our challenges includes the issue of quackery. Cashew trading has categories from buying to selling to merchant and processing. It is a chain business.

“We noticed that some intruders did brake the chain which poses big problem for the owners and even the government. So the problems are enormous. Part of it is the issue of ungraded Cashew but which has remain an albatross to the business in KwaraState. We need the support of Kwara State Government wholly, because any trade you are doing without the support of Government is zero. We want to appeal to government to help our farmers through this association.

“Cashew business requires much capital, we appeal to Kwara State Government to come up with micro credit scheme for our members so as to ameliorate their businesses. This kind of financial assistance are given to Cashew Traders in other states. Their governments gives them loans and that has always makes them stand tall above us here in Kwara. Kwara state government should assist kwara Cashew Association with soft loan to expand their trade. Our members will not default.

“Kwara South Cashew Dealers are over 6,000 in population as I speak. We created lots of employments in the state, and this feat has reduces the menace of social vices in the state. We are one of the largest employers of labour in Kwara State. We want to appeal to government to set up a factory for Cashew processing in Kwara South. This will go a long way to create jobs for our teaming youths and it would increase government’s IGR, ” the soft spoken Abioye affirmed.