Cocoa was first discovered in the amazon region of South America. Cocoa bean is Nigeria’s 2nd largest foreign exchange earner, next to crude oil and gas. Export of the commodity has evolved over time since the dissolution of the commodity boards more than any other exportable commodity.
Product Specification
South West states account for about 70% of Nigeria’s annual cocoa production. Ondo state is the largest producer of cocoa beans with about 55% of the country’s annual production.
Quality Issues
Cocoa has well-defined quality grades which are determined by physical characteristics, flavour and processing yield. Poor quality attracts a discount, while good quality attracts a premium price.
Mode of Export
Trade in the commodity is largely formal, through the Nigerian sea port.
Packaging
The commodity is packaged for export in hydrocarbon-free jute bags.
The commodity dates back more than 5,000 years. Sesame seeds are believed to be one of the first plants to be used for edible oil. The seeds come from Assyrian myth which claims that the gods drank sesame wine the night before they created the earth.
The commodity is native to East Indies. It is believed that African slaves brought sesame seeds which they called ‘benne’.
Product Specification
Varieties: White, Brown & Black
Product Availability: It is readily available during the season from North West, North East and North Central state. Benue, Nassarawa and Kano are leading states accounting for over 60% of annual production.
Marketability: The commodity is readily marketable if there are no quality issues. Purity level of sesame seed is of utmost importance to buyer.
Mode of Export: Trade in the commodity is largely formal, through the Nigerian sea port.
Packaging: The commodity is packaged for export in polypropylene bags.
Varieties: White, Brown & Black
Product Availability: It is readily available during the season from North West, North East and North Central state. Benue, Nassarawa and Kano are leading states accounting for over 60% of annual production.
Marketability: The commodity is readily marketable if there are no quality issues. Purity level of sesame seed is of utmost importance to buyer.
Mode of Export: Trade in the commodity is largely formal, through the Nigerian sea port.
Packaging: The commodity is packaged for export in polypropylene bags.
Quality Issues: Trade has well established contracts which usually stipulate the packaging/markings: quality/weight: price: payment terms and other special conditions that must be acceptable to both exporter and importer.
Mode of Export: Trade in the commodity is largely formal, through the Nigerian sea port.
Packaging: Cashew is packaged in standard polypropylene bags and exported as per contract requirements.
Dry Split Ginger: Ginger (Zingiber officinale), a common spice that was considered a luxury more than 5,000 years ago, has a very rich history. It is highly valued in international markets for its aroma, pungency and high oil and Aleo resin content. The Indians and ancient Chinese used the root of ginger as a tonic to treat common ailments. Although ginger originated in Southeast Asia, it was widely cultivated in other countries
Nigeria is the third largest exporter of ginger in the world after China and India.
Product Availability: It is readily available during the season from October to May. Gombe, Benue, Nassarawa and Bauchi are leading states of production in Nigeria.
Marketability: Ginger is usually readily marketable. There are many buyers and sellers of the commodity. Major importing countries are USA, Netherland, India amongst others.
Mode of Export: Ginger Is exported as dried-split. Trade in the commodity is largely formal, through the Nigerian sea port.
Packaging: The commodity is packaged for export in jute bags.
Shea Nut/Shea Butter is extracted from the nut of the Shea tree in West Africa and used as cosmetic and therapeutic skin care lotion for thousands of years. Its origins go as far back as Cleopatra’s Egypt, where it was carried in large clay jars for cosmetic use.
Nigeria has comparative advantage in the cultivation, processing and export of crude shea butter in Africa due to the large arable land available for production and the conducive climatic condition and accounts for about 57 per cent of the world’s Shea production.
Production Availability: Shea nut is readily available in Niger, Kwara and Kebbi in its season, which spans from June to November
Marketability: Shea nut and Shea butter is usually readily marketable. There are many buyers and sellers of the commodity.
Mode of Export: Trade in the commodity is largely formal, through the Nigerian sea port.
Packaging: The commodity is packaged for export in polythene-lined boxes.
