2026 Cocoa Season: Ogun Strengthens Production, Quality Control

 






Aina Obasanjo 

The Ogun State Government has promised to establish Scheduled Agricultural Produce Reserves across the three senatorial districts to provide legitimate and de-risked land for cash-crop farmers, particularly cocoa producers.


Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Hon. Bolu Owotomo, disclosed this at the Annual Cocoa Pre-Season and Stakeholders’ Forum of the Department of Produce Services in Abeokuta with the theme “Scheduled Agricultural Produce: Productivity, Quality, Traceability and Global Market Access,” organised ahead of the 2026 main cocoa crop season.

Represented by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Mrs Lydia Fajohunbo, the Commissioner said the initiative would help address forest encroachment while promoting sustainable agricultural production.




Hon Owotomo said the state government had distributed thousands of high-yielding and disease-resistant cocoa seedlings across the twenty local government areas, alongside subsidised fertilisers, agro-chemicals and mechanisation support.

He also announced plans to procure additional motorcycles for the Department of Produce Services to strengthen field inspection and anti-smuggling operations.


The Commissioner said the state was not only interested in increasing cocoa production but also in creating wealth through improved productivity, quality and access to international markets.

Hon. Owotomo urged cocoa stakeholders to embrace traceability, quality grading and zero-deforestation farming, noting that the origin of cocoa has become increasingly important in the international market.


He commended farmers and other stakeholders for maintaining the quality of Ogun cocoa in the last season, saying the state’s produce retained its top international rating, attracted premium prices and contributed to foreign exchange earnings.


Mr Owotomo said the future of cocoa production in Ogun remained bright, urging stakeholders to move beyond the production of cocoa beans to local value addition and direct access to international markets.


In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Lydia Fajohunbo, described the forum as a wake-up call ahead of the 2026 main crop season.

She stressed that quality, quantity and traceability were essential to ensuring that Ogun’s agricultural produce met international market requirements and attracted higher premiums.


Mrs Fajohunbo urged stakeholders to comply with grading, quality and traceability standards, noting that the state had recorded improved compliance with produce regulations, better evacuation records and increased adoption of proper documentation over the past year.


She said the Department of Produce Services remained responsible for quality assurance, grading, monitoring and anti-smuggling activities across the state.


Also speaking, the Director of Produce Services, Mr Adedeji Somade, identified productivity, quality, traceability and global market access as key priorities for the 2026 produce season.

He called for stronger operational support, citing severe understaffing caused by retirements and promotions, inadequate office accommodation at zonal headquarters and insufficient logistics.

Mr Somade appealed for two operational vehicles and six additional motorcycles to enhance field monitoring and strengthen the fight against produce smuggling.


He commended the state government for the ongoing multi-million-naira rehabilitation of the Department’s zonal office in Abeokuta, describing the intervention as critical to improved service delivery.


The annual cocoa pre-season programme also featured free medical screening, a novelty match among stakeholders and the presentation of awards to deserving individuals and groups.

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