Ondo gets N15bn cocoa processing plant

The Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has commissioned a N15billion cocoa processing plant in Akure, the state capital. Johnvents Cocoa Processing Company, which brought to seven, the number of such companies in the state,  will create 300 direct and 17 indirect jobs. The group managing director of the company, Mr John Alamu, said the […]

The Ondo State governor, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has commissioned a N15billion cocoa processing plant in Akure, the state capital.

Johnvents Cocoa Processing Company, which brought to seven, the number of such companies in the state,  will create 300 direct and 17 indirect jobs.

The group managing director of the company, Mr John Alamu, said the aim was to transform the country’s agricultural sector, especially the cocoa value chain.

In a welcome address delivered by Alamu at the commissioning ceremony, he said Nigeria’s agricultural sector, despite its enormous potential, had lagged behind for decades.

“Whatever the reason may be, the fact remains that agriculturally, Nigeria is still a far cry from what it is supposed to be and what it can be.

“As a country with rich, arable  land resources, our capacity to produce and process highly sought after agricultural products and ship them to the rest of the world is as large, diverse and wide-ranging as Nigeria itself,’’ he said.

He also said that one of the highly sought after agricultural commodities was cocoa, of which western Nigeria is blessed abundantly, adding that sadly, Nigeria is still playing small in the global cocoa business.

He stressed that the yearning to improve the country’s export capabilities in the non-oil sector birthed Johnvents Industries Limited on May 9, 2016, with the aim of driving sustainable growth across the entire agricultural value chain.

He noted that the plant is an automated processing plant which would operate at 98 per cent efficiency, with a capacity to crush over 15,000 metric tonnes of cocoa beans annually, making it the biggest cocoa processing factory in Nigeria.

“We are introducing the Johnvents cocoa powder into the market. The unsweetened cocoa powder will be packaged for retail consumption. We know that the local processing industry is growing really fast; and we are happy to be at the forefront of this ongoing transformation.

“Let me state at this juncture that the decision to locate this magnificent project in Ondo State is very strategic. Ondo State is the largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria (accounting for over 30% of Nigeria’s total output). 

“Interestingly, just as Ondo State is playing a leadership role in cocoa production in Nigeria, Johnvents will also be playing a leadership role in cocoa processing by contributing 15,000 metric tonnes annually. This is expected to rise to between18 and 20,000 metric tonnes in the short to medium term,’’ he added.

Governor Akeredolu had promised at the event that the state would invest more in cocoa production, while urging the youth to get involved in agriculture.