Kogi State cashew sellers have urged the state authorities to intervene and cease foreigners from disrupting the cashew worth chain, citing exploitation and poverty as main issues.
The sellers, who begged authorities to take motion to forestall foreigners from exploiting native farmers, lamented that they’ve been going through this downside for over 30 years, with foreigners, particularly Indians, bypassing native retailers and shopping for immediately from farmers.
They argued that this disrupts the conventional worth chain, hurting native retailers and decreasing farmers’ earnings, which contributes to poverty and insecurityThe Board of Trustees (BOT) Chairman of the Kogi Cashew Sellers Stakeholders Affiliation, Baba Mohammed, defined that the foreigners’ actions are decreasing native farmers to excessive poverty, as their aim is to export the product with out including worth to the native economic system.
Mohammed defined that the worth chain within the cashew business entails farmers, consumers, licensed shopping for brokers, retailers, exporters, and processors. He, nonetheless, stated foreigners are disrupting this chain by shopping for immediately from farmers, which hurts native retailers and reduces farmers’ earnings.
Mohammed lamented that the locals are being pushed out of the method, and their livelihoods are being threatened. He revealed that the Kogi State Meeting has fast-tracked a movement to deal with the difficulty, directing the Ministry of Agriculture to intervene, noting that the farmers are looking for the federal government’s intervention to guard their livelihoods and be sure that the cashew business advantages the native folks. Mohammed expressed hope that the federal government will take motion to deal with the difficulty and stop foreigners from exploiting native farmers.
The BOT chairman burdened that the affiliation just isn’t towards foreigners investing within the cashew business, however they have to observe the correct worth chain and never bypass native retailers. He famous that foreigners ought to add worth to the native economic system and never simply export uncooked supplies, emphasising that the federal government must implement insurance policies that defend native farmers and be sure that the business advantages the native economic system.
“The attraction we need to make is obvious. We’re asking the state authorities to intervene and cease foreigners from distorting, corrupting, and interfering with the cashew worth chain.
“The rationale that is essential is that these foreigners’ actions will scale back native farmers to excessive poverty. Their aim appears to be merely to return right here and export a product that’s already prepared for export. We’ve been doing this for over 30 years, and through our first assembly in Lagos, this concern of international interference was on the coronary heart of our discussions. We’ve been going through these issues for for much longer than folks realise.
“These foreigners don’t have any proper to vote, however they’re right here attempting to take over our economic system. In the event that they succeed, we threat falling into a brand new type of colonisation. We’re asking each the federal and state governments to step in and assist us.
“Kogi State can’t be an exception to this downside. For context, Ogbomosho, situated in Oyo State, is the second-largest cashew producer after Kogi, and nothing of this kind is going on there. However they appear to suppose that Kogi is a spot the place they’ll do something they need. That’s why we’re interesting to the Kogi authorities, the Federal authorities, and the Ministry of Agriculture to take motion and cease this exploitation,” he stated.
Additionally talking, the Vice Chairman of the affiliation, Idris Yakub echoed similar sentiments, stating that foreigners are taking up the work of locals, driving down costs, and short-changing farmers. Yakub famous that many farmers are misled by foreigners, who exploit their lack of publicity to market dynamics.
The affiliation’s vice chair burdened that there’s a Federal Authorities coverage prohibiting foreigners from shopping for immediately from the farm gate, lamenting that this coverage is being violated.
