IQO COCOA 



Progress of the Industry. 



The first shipments of cocoa were made in 1891. In 

 1900 the exports had risen to 4,042 cwts., valued at 

 8,622. Since that date they have steadily increased, 

 and last year they amounted to 72,428 cwts., valued at 

 157,480. The exports, year by year, during the last 

 ten years were as follows : 



Year Quantity Value 



cwts. 



1904 10,602 ... 18,873 



1905 9,405 ... 16,922 



1906 ... 14,464 ... 27,054 



1907 ... 18,654 ... 47,840 



1908 ... 27,327 ... 50,587 



1909 ... 44,814 ... 71,916 



1910 ... 58,636 ... 101,150 



1911 ... 88,025 ... 164,664 



1912 ... 67,801 ... 130,542 



1913 72,428 ... 157,480 



Considerable interest attaches to this development, in 

 view of the enormous progress made in cocoa cultivation 

 in the neighbouring colony of the Gold Coast. At first 

 sight it is somewhat difficult to understand why this in- 

 dustry should have developed so much more rapidly in one 

 colony than in the other, considering that the conditions 

 in each as regards soil, climate, and people are so similar. 

 In the Southern Provinces of Nigeria, however, more 

 attention has been devoted to the cultivation of cotton 

 and maize and to the exploitation of products of the oil 

 palm. The result is that Nigeria's exports of cotton and 

 maize are considerably in advance of those of the Gold 

 Coast, while her exports of palm oil and kernels are far 

 greater, and have increased more rapidly than those of 

 the Gold Coast. 



Cultivation. 



The principal cocoa-growing districts are Ibadan, 

 Abeokuta, and Agege, which are respectively situated 

 122, 60, and 12 miles distant by railway from Lagos. 

 All the plantations are owned by natives; those which 

 were established by Europeans have been abandoned 

 for various reasons. Except on the comparatively small 

 number of plantations managed by educated natives the 

 cultural methods in vogue are extremely crude. 



