<p>The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has disclosed that Nigeria will generate $14bn annually through processing 50 percent of its Raw Cashew Nut (RCN), “ adding that increasing RCN production from the current level of 120,000 metric tons by 20 percent would create more than 344,000 new jobs and additional income of USD 7,875,000”.</p> <p>Speaking at the Second National Cashew stakeholders and action plan formulation forum, organised by the National Cashew Association of Nigeria (NCAN) and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, on Wednesday, Adesina, said with the approval of cashew as a National transformational crop and with the budget allocation for cashew this year 2013, the trend will change for good as value will be added to RCN before exporting to other countries. He said that non value addition to RCN locally is costing Nigeria huge losses in foreign exchange and the much needed employment opportunities to importing countries.</p> <p>“This is an opportunity to formally informed you that nine (9) new crops have been added to the crops value chain including cashew for promotion by Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development under the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA) in 2013.Source: National Mirror Nigeria</p> <p> </p>