SUNDAY TRUST
February 20, 2011
Boosting industrial utilisation of cashew in Nigeria By Ifeanyi Nwoko, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)
ANYIGBA is a major town in Kogi State and the serene community, which hosts the Kogi State University, is the site of a new cashew processing plant.
Analysts believe that the siting of the plant in Anyigba is apt because of the abundance of cashew in the neighbourhood to sustain full-scale production allyear round. The cashew processing plant was established by Kogi State University in collaboration with the Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMDC) because of the abundant cashew available in Kogi State and neighbouring states.
purposeful learning and entrepreneurship. The Deputy Governor of Kogi of State, Dr Philip Salawu, shares similar sentiments. He believes
that the launch of the cashew processing plant connotes the
development of the university into "a citadel of manpower development and enterprise". He says that the plant will stimulate economic activities in the state and the community in
particular. Salawu stresses that the inau-
guration of the plant is a fulfIllment of the vision of the administration Gov. Ibrahim Idris to transform the state university into
a centre of excellence. Commenting on cashew production, the Minister of Science
The university contributed the plant's infrastructure -- the building -- while the RMRDC contributed the equipment. The RMRDC supplied the equipment through Abod Success Investment Ltd., a company which processes cashew nuts into spiced kernels. Prof. Peter Onwualu, the Director-General ofthe RMRDC, says that 400, 000 metric tonnes of cashew are produced annually in
and Technology, Prof. Muhammad Kaoje, says that the Federal
Kogi State, for instance.
an important participant in the world cashew market. The minister, who gave the approval for the Anyigba cashew processing plant in 2009, underscores the importance of the project in efforts to actualise the industrial targets of the Federal Government's Vision 20:2020 programme.
"About 60 per cent of the cashew is processed into intermediate products. such as cashew
kernels, by an Indian company; Olam International, while the remaining 40 per cent is Virtually wasted. "The processed cashew products are shipped to India for further value addition and they are exported to the U.S. and some parts of Africa as finished products;' he says. The establisliment of the cashew processing plant is, therefore, considered by analysts to be the climax of the efforts of the RMRDC to utilise the abundant
Government is aware of the eco-
nomic value of cashew, adding that efforts are being made to improve its production. He says that cashew production in Nigeria increased from
about 30,000 tonnes in 1990 to more than 176, 000 tonnes in 2000, adding that the development has made Nigeria to become
In most cases, the juicy cashew fruit is eaten raw, while its nuts are processed to be eaten or used as
raw materials for industrial or medicinal products.
Diet Foods and Nutrition, a web-based health publication, says that cashew nuts, like all edible nuts, are an excellent source of
ess it for value addition. Observers say that Anyigba, a sleepy town, is now experiencing a flurry of business and entrepre-
protein and fibre. It s~ys that cashew nuts are rich in mono-unsaturated fat, which may help in protecting the heart, while they are also a good
neurial activities because of the
source of potassium, B vitamins,
cashew processing plant. Onwualu says that Kogi State University had stockpiled enough
magnesium, phosphorous, selenium and copper. Research has also shown that Cashew Nutshell Liquid (CNSL) -- a by-product of processed
cashew crop in the state and proc-
raw materials that would sustain
commercial production until the
next harvest season, adding that the plant's equipment had also been installed by the RMRDC. He notes that that the equipment" were locally designed and fabricated to promote local engineering capacities of the plant. "This is the beginning of the actualisation of the policy of developing industrial clusters as a means off.cHitating the growth of small scale industries in Nigeria;' Onwualu says. The plant, which was inaugurated on Oct. 14,2010, is Widely described as a venture which signifies the transformation of Kogi
ardie acids, which could be further processed into alcohol or used for treating tooth abscesses. In spite of the multifaceted benefits of cashew, cashew processing is largely nonexistent in Nigeria and experts say that 90 per cent of cashew nuts produced in the country are exported to overseas countries. Ka'oje bemoans the situation' where the countries importing Nigeria's cashew have established cashew processing factories to process the nuts, in particular, into various value-added prod-
State University into a centre of
ucts.
cashew nuts -- contains anac-
He insists that the country is lOSing a lot ofrevepue by merely exporting cashew'as a raw farm
produce. The minister says that the Anyigba cashew processing plant, therefore, demonstrates the government's determination to reverse the trend and ensure
the optimal explOitation of farm produce to enhance their value addition. Prof. Hassan Isah, the ViceChancellor of Kogi State University, says that the cashew processing plant currently has a workforce of over 200, including a management team. He says that the plant, whieh commence.d production in July 2010, is a product of a syntheSiS ofideas and a strong desire to harness the potential ofthe abundant cashew available in the country
for development efforts. Isah notes that every part of the cashew fruit is useful, saying: .. The fruits are edible and they
Analysts, therefore, view the setting up of the Anyigba cashew processing plant as the onset of pragmatic efforts to attain
are a reliable source of protein,
the country's industrialisation
fatty acids and minerals. They are also used in confectionery and bakery industry. "The cashew CNSL is an
through backward integration. The plant, which has the installed capacity to process one
tonne of cashew nuts per day, has
important multipurpose indus-
alternative sources of power such
trial raw material in the production of resins and friction powder for the automobile industry;' he says. Isah says that cashew has an
as gas and coal.
excellent international market
value, with the U.S. importing about 10 million dollars (about NI.5 billion) worth of CNSL annually. The vice chancellor says that the cashew fruit is rich in Vitamin C and could be used to produce wine.
It has six sections -- cashew nut
boiling and kernel drying, cashew nut shelling, peeling, grading and product packaging sections. Observers say that concerted efforts should be made to replicate the Anyigba plant in other parts of the country, saying that such activities will spur Nigeria's
industrialisation, particularly in the agro-allied sector where Nigeria has a comparative advantage. (NANFeatures).