<p></p><p>The National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) is targeting about N80 billion from cashew export this year, its spokesman, Mr. Sotonye Anga, has said.Anga told News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the ‘Second Annual Cashew Logistics Meeting’ in Lagos that shipping lines had recognised cashew as revenue generating cash crop and contributor to the country’s economy.Noting that shipping firms account for more than 80 per cent of exported cargoes from Nigeria, he said: “There is need for improvement in the handling of cashew, which will propel significant improvement in the country’s economic performance.“Shipping lines have recognised the economic relevance of cashew and that is why you can see their chief executives and decision makers represented at this meeting. “The meeting will afford the association opportunity to take steps to advance Nigeria’s cashew export to destinations like India, Vietnam, China, Middle East, Europe, U.S. and others.” <br></p> <p>The NCAN spokesman, who said the association believed in strong bond between it and the shipping lines, stated that “We expect that Nigeria should generate about N80 billion from cashew export in 2016 season and trade in a manner that will impact on the value chain.”He said NCAN would leverage on this relationship to ensure that the year cashew exports is hitch-free. “We will have zero claims because of damages to cashew cargo when containers are well dressed with adequate number of desiccants and Kraft papers,” he said.The Export Manager of Safmarine, Mrs. Maureen Okojie, said decisions on shipping services were time bound. She stressed the need to look at shipment schedule between February and July, this year for cashew shipments.An official of COSCO Shipping Company, Mr. Paulinius Effiong, advised forwarding agents to reject containers with holes.To realise the association’s target of raking in N80b from cashew export this year, its President, Tola Faseru, inaugurated two committees to ensure a hitch-free 2016 cashew season. He named the committees as the Cashew Logistics Committee and the Cashew Improvement Committee.The committees are saddled with implementing programmes for the the season.Cashew shipping firms, exporters, forwarders and shipping lines were represented at the conference.<br></p><p></p>