Lagos, November 04, 2008 - Cocoa exports from Nigeria, the world's number four grower, rose by 24 percent in 2007/08 to 167,231 tonnes compared to the previous year, data from the Federal Produce Inspection Service (FPIS) showed on Tuesday.
Shipments for September, the final month of the season, also rose 24 percent to 4,035 tonnes on the same month of last year.
The FPIS is the government agency that certifies cocoa and other farm produce as fit for export mainly to Western markets, where the beans are used for making chocolate, ice cream, cake, liquor, cosmetics and beverages.
Total Nigerian cocoa shipments for the just-concluded year were 4 percent higher than the 161,000 tonnes estimated by major exporters as arrivals of beans to Lagos, the country's main export route.
An estimated 10-15 percent of Nigeria's cocoa production is exported through the southeastern port city of Calabar, capital of Cross River state, where shipment of beans resumed in September after about two months of inactivity due to a protest against high port charges, buyers and exporters said.