The Ondo State Government on Wednesday destroyed a truckload of adulterants seized from a cocoa merchant at Lipakala Junction in Ondo West Local Government Area.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Segun Odusanya said the adulterated materials—consisting mainly of dried cocoa placenta—were intercepted by a task force team during a routine patrol.
Odusanya described the act as economic sabotage, explaining that the perpetrators were mixing the dried cocoa placenta with genuine cocoa beans to artificially increase weight and value.
“This illegal practice not only damages the integrity of the cocoa trade but also tarnishes the state’s reputation on the international stage,” he said.
Vowing that the state would not tolerate such actions, Odusanya urged cocoa merchants to collaborate with the government in stamping out adulteration.
“We are appealing to the public to report merchants who tamper with cocoa beans so we can take swift action,” he added.
He noted that the suspect would be fined, while the impounded adulterants and vehicle would be held as a deterrent to others.
“This move reinforces our commitment to discouraging adulteration in the cocoa value chain,” Odusanya said.
Also speaking, the Assistant Director of Produce and Area Officer for Ondo West, Mr. Philip Akintorinwa said the intercepted truck contained only adulterants, primarily dried cocoa placenta.
He linked the practice to the rising global demand and high price of cocoa, noting that unscrupulous merchants were attempting to profit fraudulently.
“If these adulterants had been mixed with cocoa beans and gone undetected, the produce would have weighed more and fetched a higher price, compromising quality and fairness,” Akintorinwa explained.
