Cross River State Governor Otu Focuses on Maximizing Returns in Cocoa, Coffee, and Oil Palm Industries

Cross River State Governor, Bassey Otu, has recently announced his administration’s plans to derive maximum returns from the state’s abundant resources in cocoa, coffee, and oil palm.

In a move to achieve this, Governor Otu inaugurated a multi-stakeholder committee to develop a framework for optimizing the value chains in these sectors.

The committee, headed by Prof Susan Ohen, has been tasked with several key objectives, including developing a 7-year strategic plan to enhance cultivation, productivity, and quality in the cocoa, coffee, and oil palm industries.

Additionally, the committee will design value chain policies that encourage direct investment, support farmers, and address market dynamics.

Governor Otu emphasized the importance of agriculture to the state, citing initiatives such as the 3.5 million oil palms earmarked for planting this fiscal year, the launch of a N30billion commercial agriculture development fund called Project Grow, and the extension of the Smallholder cocoa development scheme for the development of new estates and the regeneration of existing ones.

The committee is also responsible for mobilizing resources for the plan to establish six new cocoa estates in Cross River State, ensuring that these projects align with climate and biodiversity considerations.

Furthermore, the committee will evaluate existing laws related to cocoa and oil palm production to make necessary adjustments that promote growth.

Prof Susan Ohen assured the Governor and the people of Cross River State that the committee would work diligently to draw up a strategic plan and policy framework for the optimization of oil palm, cocoa, and coffee value chains in the state.

This focus on the state’s key agricultural resources is a crucial step towards achieving economic growth and improving the livelihoods of Cross River State’s residents.

By leveraging its comparative advantage in the production of cocoa, coffee, and oil palm, Cross River State is poised to attract significant investments and create employment opportunities for its people.