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.
