In order to check unwholesome practices with its attendant losses, Kogi State Government has begun immediate enforcement of farm produce regulations especially pertaining cashew nuts across the three Senatorial Districts of the state.
This was disclosed in Lokoja by the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Hon. Kehinde Oloruntoba while addressing newsmen on the losses the state has incurred as a result of adulterated produce.
Hon. Oloruntoba who revealed that the Confluence State boasts of being the highest producer of Cashew nuts in the country however lamented the gradual decrease in the number of investors in the sector.
“Cashew business in the state has become all comers affairs without regulations. In 2017, the state produced over 100,000 metric tons which drastically reduced in 2018. No serious government will fold its arms and watch its viable business sector which can engage thousands of youths to collapse”, he said.
The Commissioner noted reiterated that it has now become offense to pluck immature cashew fruits, sale of the fruits at farm gate without the middlemen and buying and selling of the fruits without license.
While emphasising that all dealers in cashew business must appropriately register with the state Ministry of Agriculture, the Commissioner added that smuggling of the products out of the state at the odd hours to evade tax payment will attract sanctions accordingly.
On his part, the Executive Chairman of Kogi Internal Revenue Service (KIRS), Mall. Aliyu Salami expressed confidence that the revenue service under his leadership is ever ready to boast the revenue base of the state in critical business areas especially cashew nuts where it has comparative advantage among other states of the federation.
“The stage is set by the political will of Governor Yahaya Bello to reposition business sector in the state. No responsible government would joke with its revenue generation which is needed for overall development of the state”, he concluded.
