The Cocoa Producers Alliance (COPAL) has urged cocoa processors in the country to develop local market for consumption of the produce to reduce over supply to the international market.

Mr. Michael Owusu-Manu, the COPAL head of Economic Department, told newsmen in Lagos that the local market had a huge untapped potential.

He said that expanding the local market would ensure a better price for farmers, guaranteed market and reduce the challenges of the export market.

Owusu-Manu gave the advice amidst complaints by cocoa processors on the challenges they are facing as a result of high duty at the export market.

“We can produce to feed the local market and still import to meet the shortfall of the local millers,’’ Owusu-Manu said.

He urged the processors to participate actively in cocoa exhibitions and explore the local market instead of relying solely on the export of semi-processed produce.

He said that the European Union with a population of about 402 million people consumed 1.4 million tonnes of chocolate, while ECOWAS and Cameroon, with a population of 300 million, consumed only 40,600 tonnes.

“A big and untapped market exists in our backyard, let us exploit it to our benefit,’’ he said.

The COPAL official said that the member countries accounted for 5.7 per cent of world cocoa consumption in 2008.

“The average per capita consumption for the world is about 0.614kg; members countries have to increase consumption to meet the world average rate”.

“Producers need to encourage and expand consumption to deplete over supply of cocoa to the market,’’ he said.

Owusu-Manu said that with the growing evidence of health benefits of cocoa, more people now consumed cocoa products.

He said that the COPAL member countries should sustain the campaign of health benefits of cocoa and consumption to tackle the problem of remunerative pricing and increase farmers’ income.

Owusu-Manu said that farmers should plant more hybrid seedlings to increase production per hectare, spraying with appropriate crop protection and increase the processing plants.

“It’s better to add value to cocoa beans to create more jobs and diversify the nation’s income base,’’ he said.

Reports say that COPAL comprises 10 member cocoa-producing countries, including Nigeria.

The body’s major objectives include, exchanging technical and scientific ideas, discussing problems of mutual interest, ensuring adequate market at remunerative prices and promoting the expansion of consumption.