Governor Ademola Adeleke has reiterated his commitment to revive cocoa industries in Osun State with a target to be the first cocoa-producing State in Nigeria.
Adeleke made this known in his remarks at a meeting with a Chinese team of investors from Wuxi Huadong Cocoa Food Co. Ltd, who were on a two-day working visit to the state.
According to the Governor, “In January this year, I launched the Cocoa revival initiative of this administration. The state’s plan covers revival of old cocoa plantations, planting of, at least, a million seedlings and development of processing factories for new cocoa products. Our agenda extends to developing partnership with agro industrial firms, from far and near.
“Our government is particularly focused on reviving the state’s Cocoa Industries Limited. We seek to go beyond becoming the first cocoa-producing State in Nigeria. We target producing and exporting Cocoa products. That explains why we are determined to revive our Cocoa Industry and even establish new factories,” he said.
The governor described the presence of the Chinese team as a welcome development, saying “it is to that end that we welcome your offer of partnership. We are open to a Memorandum of Understanding for the revival of the industry located at Ede, Osun State. I am therefore directing the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry as well as the Attorney General of the State to look into this matter and work out a partnership deal”.
The Managing Director Wuxi Huadong Cocoa Food Co. Ltd, Mr. Yan Weiqing, expressed satisfaction after the site inspection at the moribund Cocoa industry at Ede, had promised to rebuild the Cocoa Processing facility and bring in new equipment for the progress of Mr. Governor’s industrialization agenda.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Rev. Bunmi Jenyo, who enumerated Osun’s economic potentials, had stated that the company is expected to generate direct and indirect jobs for the citizens, revenue for the state and good returns on investments for prospective investors.
According to the Commissioner, “Osun State has comparative advantage on Cocoa production, which is the main raw material needed by the company, as well as Kolanut, Maize, Yam, Cocoyam, Sweet Potatoes, Palm Produce and varieties of fruits and vegetables”.