Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story - Agriculture (2)

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Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story - Agriculture (2) - Nairaland

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Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:03pm On Jun 03, 2017

For Nigeria, Cocoa is (now) the second largest foreign exchange earner after crude oil. It used to be the first foreign exchange earner

The global market for cocoa is very huge, growing at an average of 3% per annum.

Nigeria is the world’s 4th largest producer and exporter of cocoa. We were formerly the first.

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:04pm On Jun 03, 2017

Cocoa was the backbone of the wonder years of South West under Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

With proceeds from cocoa, he recorded the firsts in many areas of our lives:

✔First television Station in Africa (before France & Ireland)

✔Cocoa House: The tallest building in Sub Sahara Africa......and one of tallest still standing.

✔Free education

✔Free health

✔Liberty Stadium....first in Nigeria

E.t.c e.t.c

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:05pm On Jun 03, 2017

The question is.....
What happened?
Why did we derailed from being pace setters to back benchers?
Why?
Why?
What went wrong?

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:07pm On Jun 03, 2017

Newway2:

The future of Nigerian agriculture lies majorly on plantation agriculture.

Plantations provide a steady pay check, health insurance and every other benefit that other multinationals provide. Its just that it takes a minimum of 3-5 years before bankable results show.

I call this, saving for the rainy day. Posterity measure, generational investment, Inheritance for the children and I can keep on qualifying it...

*Why plantation farming?*

While vegetables cultivation (& other animal husbandry) may (supposedly) bring quick and more profit with very high risk, plantation farming will bring everlasting profit with relatively low risk but you must be very patient.

Banks also prefer funding cash crop cultivation to vegetables or other aspect of farming.

In essence, Plantation agriculture is actually a low risk business.

1 Like

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:08pm On Jun 03, 2017

*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........

BRB

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:09pm On Jun 03, 2017

Newway2:
*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........

BRB

International buyers chase after cash crops like cashew, cocoa, ginger etc.

But that of Cocoa is incredible. Merchants give out billions of Naira to Agents to source for Cocoa in Ondo town when Cocoa is in season. The biggest Cocoa processor in Nigeria is working at 60 percent capacity because of inadequate Cocoa Beans.

1 Like

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:10pm On Jun 03, 2017

Newway2:
*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........

Of all the cash crops available to us in d tropical rain forest of Nigeria, *cocoa* has d best ROI

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:13pm On Jun 03, 2017

Newway2:
*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........

I must be honest here. I am biased towards cocoa.

But, be as it may; I hv also found out that of all the available cash crops in d SW, cocoa offers the best ROI...(I will send my comparative analysis at a later date)

I also pick cocoa because of *#MyCocoaStory* & it goes like ds..........

1 Like

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 5:11am On Jun 09, 2017

Newway2:

I must be honest here. I am biased towards cocoa.

But, be as it may; I hv also found out that of all the available cash crops in d SW, cocoa offers the best ROI...(I will send my comparative analysis at a later date)

I also pick cocoa because of *#MyCocoaStory* & it goes like ds..........

My Cocoa Story:
Circumstances or call it providence has made this group necessary. Firstly, am an accidental (cocoa)farmer though farming has been in me since I was a little lad.

My grand-father was a successful cocoa farmer. My dad was his last born & d only one that went to school. My grand-dad liked me being d first son of his educated last son. So, I was his favourite b4 he died. Whenever we go to visit him in d village, I used to follow him to d farm. As a little boy, my attraction (apart from d innate affection for farming/agric), was d "agbayun" fruit(I don't know d English name) an extremely sweet seed; & fresh palm wine (straight from d palm tree called "aajaabale" in yoruba), which my grand-dad used to indulge me with. Little did I know that d foundation for my future vocation was being laid.

When I was a boy of abt 5 or 6yrs, my grand-dad planted his last set of cocoa. I happened to be with him at that time & he made me plant a. cocoa seedling near a "peregun". A perenial shrub used in d SW to demacate land. Little did I know that my grand-dad informed my uncle (my father elder brother) to show me d tree when I grow up.

Fast forward 40yrs, grand-dad died. (& left his holdings 4 his children. All holding under d care of my uncles) my dad; being an "educated" man & with d stupidity of his generation, never stepped into d village/farm again till last year when my last uncle died. My last uncle (b4 he died) told my dad abt d cocoa tree (that I planted abt 40yrs earlier with grandPa) & asked my dad to show me.....

Last year, lo & behold, I saw d cocoa tree again & surprisingly, it is still bearing fruits.......

Right there & then, I made up my mind that I will also add cocoa farming as one of my farming activities; having previously (early ds year) foraged back into farming/agriculture.

Providence also made me to situate my present farm in Idi-Ayunre village (through d help of my maternal uncle who was a former staff of CRIN). CRIN ( Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria) is situated in Idi-Ayunre.

So, I say; if an investment of a cocoa seedling planted 41yrs ago cld still be bearing dividends (cocoa pods), then it is a worthy investment indeed.

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Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 2:45pm On Jun 20, 2017

Newway2:

The future of Nigerian agriculture lies majorly on plantation agriculture.

Plantations provide a steady pay check, health insurance and every other benefit that other multinationals provide. Its just that it takes a minimum of 3-5 years before bankable results show.

I call this, saving for the rainy day. Posterity measure, generational investment, Inheritance for the children and I can keep on qualifying it...

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 2:47pm On Jun 20, 2017

Newway2:

*Why plantation farming?*

While vegetables cultivation (& other animal husbandry) may (supposedly) bring quick and more profit with very high risk, plantation farming will bring everlasting profit with relatively low risk but you must be very patient.

Banks also prefer funding cash crop cultivation to vegetables or other aspect of farming.

In essence, Plantation agriculture is actually a low risk business.

*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........?

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 3:19pm On Jun 20, 2017

Newway2:

*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........?

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 3:20pm On Jun 20, 2017

Newway2:

*But, why cocoa? Why not other cash crops*.........?

Of all the cash crops available to us in d tropical rain forest of Nigeria, *cocoa* has d best ROI

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 3:21pm On Jun 20, 2017

*But why are our generation running away from cocoa farming?*

1) Ignorance.
2) We still have the carry over of the oil-boom era.
3) We blv it's a vocation for the elderly.
4) We blv it has very looooong gestation period.
5) Lack of interest in farming generally (even by those who were raised with cocoa money.
6)We blv cocoa is too technical to venture into etc. etc

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 3:22pm On Jun 20, 2017

Newway2:

*Why plantation farming?*

While vegetables cultivation (& other animal husbandry) may (supposedly) bring quick and more profit with very high risk, plantation farming will bring everlasting profit with relatively low risk but you must be very patient.

Banks also prefer funding cash crop cultivation to vegetables or other aspect of farming.

In essence, Plantation agriculture is actually a low risk business.

As a farmer or agroprenure, there will come a time when all energy will go & one still needs regular income.

Such time is when d income from cash crops like cocoa, cashew, oil-palm etc will become valuable to us.

I call such time & income our farming pension fund period

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 3:24pm On Jun 20, 2017

*Our emphasis in ds group is focused on cocoa. This because we know what cocoa money was used for in d then Western Region by Chief Awolowo

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Adasun(m): 7:00pm On Jun 20, 2017

sir newway2,is sandy soil gud for cocoa productio?

What if u use palm tree as cover instead of plantain,anything bad in dat?

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 5:40am On Jun 21, 2017

Adasun:
sir newway2,is sandy soil gud for cocoa productio?

What if u use palm tree as cover instead of plantain,anything bad in dat?

Sandy soil is only good for coconut.

Cocoa requires rich humus/loamy soil.
Cocoa also requires humid temperature & adequate rainfall.

No, u can't plant oil-palm as cover crop for cocoa.

Any cover crop must be able to provide cover very fast & plantain falls into such categories..

Besides,

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Adasun(m): 7:44pm On Jun 21, 2017

Newway2:

Sandy soil is only good for coconut.

Cocoa requires rich humus/loamy soil.
Cocoa also requires humid temperature & adequate rainfall.

No, u can't plant oil-palm as cover crop for cocoa.

Any cover crop must be able to provide cover very fast & plantain falls into such categories..

Besides,

okay tanks so much

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 6:19pm On Jul 09, 2017

Cocoa Production – How African Entrepreneurs Can Tap Into the Huge Global Market for Chocolate Products:

http://www.smallstarter.com/browse-ideas/how-to-start-a-cocoa-production-business-in-africa-for-the-global-chocolate-market/

The piece above gave me so much insight into the cocoa industry value chain.

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 4:29am On Aug 05, 2017

There are many layers of cocoa value chain as shown below:

*1) Farmer*

*2) Cocoa merchant*

*3) Cocoa millers*

*4) Cocoa products manufactures*

These have been arranged in the order of value of income generation.

Unfortunately, the farmers make the least money, while the cocoa products manufacturers makes the most most money.

The purpose of this group & the proposed *CocoaVillage* is to find a middle level among the four categories.

We can not & must not just be simply cocoa farmers like our grandfathers.

We must endeavour to add value to our cocoa beans b4 selling it out.

2 Likes

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by JBoy9(m): 4:38pm On Aug 05, 2017

Thanks @Newway2 for this wonderful writeup. My background is similar to that of yours. Having grown up in a cocoa farming community coupled with the fact I am my dad:s favorite child esp in terms of farming activities I know not just art but the science of cocoa farming. From cutting off seeds affected by black pod to spraying with pesticides (gammallin, phosphates etc)...fermentation....just name it. Our farm then was about 5hectares situated in Akure South in Ondo State.

1 Like

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by JBoy9(m): 5:01pm On Aug 05, 2017

Cont'd

Well, like u said, foolishness beclouded us. Dad got old, i felt kike why should i soil my hands being a farmer, I stopped going to farm, startrd doing "guy", I gained admission into the university, Dad leased his farm to the Ebiras, and finally, most of the withered and dried up due to bad management. All they care about was to harvest the pods whenever it ripped

Fast forward to 2013, with the help of a consultant in Ibadan, I got a well-written, mathematically-accurate and brilliantly-projected feasibility study for 150Hectares cocoa plantation. This would have been the single biggest plantation at that time.

Then, Adesina was the minister of agriculture, through a friend I had an appointment with him. He gave me a note to CRIN. CRIN promised they would give us seedlings at subsidized price. No wahala! I approaced Bank Of Agriculture, they came up with plenty bearucracy and bottleneck. I paddled my canoe forward and approached a commercial bank. I was invited for a presentation and I was able to wow their management. They agreed to bankroll the project but with conditions that I must provide 10% equity (about N15m) and also have the land secured.
.

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by JBoy9(m): 5:16pm On Aug 05, 2017

Finally,

The equity contribution part was not a problem. However, I approached my state (Ondo State) Commissioner of Agriculture to see how we can get the expanse of land needed for the project. I made him see the benefits e.g job creation of over 250 people, IGR, Export Rebate, FX income etc.

You know what he said..............Abeg make I no air my state dirty linen on Naira land. That's how me I jejelly carried my fund and went into other business. This was a project that by the time we harvest the plantain alone, it would have repaid almost half of our indebtedness to the bank within the first one year o.

U see, part of the problem here is our own doing. Well, i haven't given up just yet. God's willing, I hope to achieve this dream before I clock 40. I have a couple of years left though.

5 Likes

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by JBoy9(m): 5:21pm On Aug 05, 2017

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by benzion72(m): 5:57pm On Aug 05, 2017

You are the real man in the arena. May God bless your hussles.  If Nigeria can process her cocoa and sell product abroad. We will be the richest in the world. I read an article that says that Ivory Coast make 2 billion dollar annually while a company in switzerland made 12 billion dollar that same year through processing   My brother God bless you.

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 10:45am On Aug 06, 2017

JBoy9:
Finally,

The equity contribution part was not a problem. However, I approached my state (Ondo State) Commissioner of Agriculture to see how we can get the expanse of land needed for the project. I made him see the benefits e.g job creation of over 250 people, IGR, Export Rebate, FX income etc.

You know what he said..............Abeg make I no air my state dirty linen on Naira land. That's how me I jejelly carried my fund and went into other business. This was a project that by the time we harvest the plantain alone, it would have repaid almost half of our indebtedness to the bank within the first one year o.

U see, part of the problem here is our own doing. Well, i haven't given up just yet. God's willing, I hope to achieve this dream before I clock 40. I have a couple of years left though.

Hmmmm..........Interesting!!!

Pls & pls, let's connect. We have things & bizness to do together. God has destined it.

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by JBoy9(m): 10:52am On Aug 06, 2017

Newway2:

Hmmmm..........Interesting!!!

Pls, let's connect. We have things & bizness to do together. God has destined it.

I just DM u sir. Let's see how we can fine-tune the challenges and work something out.

Modified: u can remove the number sir. I've copied it

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 10:57am On Aug 06, 2017

JBoy9:

I just DM u sir. Let's see how we can fine-tune the challenges and work something out.

Modified: u can remove the number sir. I've copied it

Pls send me a WhatsApp msg. I don't understand NL DM's

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 12:29pm On Aug 06, 2017

benzion72:
You are the real man in the arena. May God bless your hussles.
 If Nigeria can process her cocoa and sell product abroad. We will be the richest in the world. I read an article that says that Ivory Coast make 2 billion dollar annually while a company in switzerland made 12 billion dollar that same year through processing
 My brother God bless you.

Yes. This is d idea behind our proposed CocoaVillage set up.

We want to exploit & explore all d cocoa value chain.

D ideal is on novel & we are committed to bringing it to. fruition.

We want to work with like minded pple who share same vision.

Care to join us?

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 12:35pm On Aug 06, 2017

JBoy9:
Finally,

The equity contribution part was not a problem. However, I approached my state (Ondo State) Commissioner of Agriculture to see how we can get the expanse of land needed for the project. I made him see the benefits e.g job creation of over 250 people, IGR, Export Rebate, FX income etc.

You know what he said..............Abeg make I no air my state dirty linen on Naira land. That's how me I jejelly carried my fund and went into other business. This was a project that by the time we harvest the plantain alone, it would have repaid almost half of our indebtedness to the bank within the first one year o.

U see, part of the problem here is our own doing. Well, i haven't given up just yet. God's willing, I hope to achieve this dream before I clock 40. I have a couple of years left though.

Part of d reason why ur initial didn't fly was because u wanted to do it alone.

In recent times, & to overcome numerous challenges that will arise, cluster farms is d best solution.

We are setting up CocoaVillages in all d cocoa belt of Nigeria. The bizness is for matured minds only who can delay their gratification.

We want to work with like minded pple.

I will like u to be on board.

Re: Cocoa - The Guaranteed Pension : My Cocoa Story by Newway2(m): 11:25am On Aug 07, 2017

JBoy9:

I just DM u sir. Let's see how we can fine-tune the challenges and work something out.

Modified: u can remove the number sir. I've copied it

Yet to rcv any msg from u.

Pls, let's connect

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