The Cross River State Government has asked the Nigerian
Shippers' Council to intervene in the challenges faced by
cocoa farmers in exporting their products.
The state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural
Resources, Mr. James Aniyom, said cocoa traders were
contending with high cost of shipment of their products from
the Calabar Port.
Aniyom, who stated this when he received a delegation on
Thursday from the Nigerian Shippers' Council in Calabar,
Cross River State, noted that it had not been easy for the few
traders dealing in the product.
"The fight for cocoa to be shipped from Calabar has not
been easy, especially where there are only few players and
the high cost of shipment from the port," he said.
The commissioner said the state government was making
concerted efforts to increase the activities at the Calabar Port
through the building of a conference centre with 18-hole golf
course, as well as the emergence of a General Electric
manufacturing plant in Calabar.
"Cross River State in collaboration with the Federal
Government plans to install 450 metric tons of cassava plant
at Obubra. Also, Wilmar International Limited and Dansa
Integrated farms will soon commence the shipping of their
processed oil and concentrates from Calabar Port," he said.
Earlier, the Deputy Director and Zonal Coordinator for South-
South, Mr. Maurice Effanga, said agriculture was very vital in
the activation of the port, explaining that their visit was to
find out what government was doing to step up exportation.
Effanga maintained that their mission was also to collaborate
with the state in bringing more exporters and importers,
including the north east cargoes, to Calabar port.
He said the essence of the establishment of the Shipping
Council was to provide a forum to protect the interest of
Nigerian shippers, advise the Federal Government on sundry
matters relating to its operations, carry out researches on
problems encountered as they affect the council and fight
against illicit trade.
Also speaking, the Managing Director, International
Transactions Limited, Mr. Michael Ogodo, said the shipping
of cocoa from Calabar had been suspended, pointing out that
some indigenes did not want the exportation to work.
He observed that vessel were always coming and leaving the
port almost empty because of the lack of cargo.
Ogodo also said the delay by officials of the Customs and
Excise unit had not helped matters as it had often times
made the products to go bad.
He implored cocoa dealers to ship from the port in order to
meet a benchmark of 50, 000 tons of cocoa.

http://www.punchng.com/business/industry/criver-advises-shippers-council-on-cocoa-export/