Ondo State has assured that its cocoa plantations will not be affected by the European Union’s new deforestation-free regulation.

Commissioner for Agriculture and Forestry, Olaleye Akinola, said the state has launched a plan to plant 10 million trees and establish nurseries across cocoa-producing areas to meet the EU’s December 2025 compliance deadline.

Cocoa farmers are now required to plant trees alongside cocoa and register their farms under a new mapping scheme. Farmers operating in forest reserves will pay ₦250,000 per hectare ₦150,000 for mapping and ₦100,000 for agro-forest allocation.

Akinola maintained that the initiative will make cocoa production traceable and sustainable, ensuring continued access to the EU market.

Ondo, which produces about 40 % of Nigeria’s cocoa, has also set up a committee on EU Deforestation-Free Regulation compliance.

Some farmers have protested the new policy, calling the levy too high. Akinola urged patience, saying the policy will protect both forests and livelihoods.

“This is not just about EU rules; it’s about sustainability and the future of cocoa in Ondo,” he said. Visit www.jocomms.com for more news.