The Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria (CRIN), Ibadan, propagated and distributed 300,000 hybrid cocoa seedlings to farmers across Nigeria in 2021.

The executive director of CRIN, Patrick Adebola, disclosed this on Wednesday.

Mr Adebola said the seedlings were used for gapping up and new cocoa production.

This, he said, would lead to increased cocoa hectarage in Nigeria, increased cocoa productivity and income of farmers that benefited from the distribution when the transplanted cocoa seedlings start fruiting.

“This will also boost the contribution of cocoa to Gross Domestic Product. Plans have also been put in place to raise more than 500,000 high-yielding and disease-resistant cocoa seedlings in 2022, in order to meet the increasing demand for hybrid cocoa seedlings by farmers,’’ stated Mr Adebola.

He added that the institute had also created awareness of its developed cocoa TC series.

The executive director further explained that the TC series were hybrid cocoa with more yield, more resistance to pests and diseases and early fruiting – about 18 months after transplanting.

He mentioned that the institute had organised training for cocoa farmers on the appropriate ways of carrying out nursery establishment.

“This programme was co-organised with PIND – Foundation for the Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta, at the Owena Substation of Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria. We also had training of extension officers on ‘Managing Soils for Increased Productivity and Decreased Deforestation in Cocoa’,” he stressed.

He stated that it was a collaborative programme between CRIN and the Cocoa Soils project.

“We had training of IFAD incubatees on the cocoa nursery, cocoa production and cocoa marketing under IFAD/FGN empowerment programme,’’ he said.

Mr Adebola added that there was also the distribution of hybrid cocoa seedlings to cocoa farmers in cocoa-producing agro-ecological zones in Nigeria.

“We successfully carried out research work on CRIN mandate crops (Cocoa, Kola, Cashew, Coffee and Tea) in the area of production, processing and marketing,” noted the CRIN head. “The country has been able to witness more cocoa output, thereby increasing more cocoa export. CRIN has successfully trained farmers on the most economical ways of combining cocoa as an arable crop.”

(NAN)