Abuja  - The Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) Wednesday urged the Nigerian government to buy off banned pesticides still in the possession of the country's cocoa farmers.

The request came on the heels of a letter by the International Cocoa Organisation (ICCO) to Nigeria and other cocoa producing countries to reduce the Maximum Residue Level (MRL) in cocoa beans to 0.1 mg as of September 1, 2008.

The initiative by the European Union is a response to scientific reports that high residue levels in cocoa beans were harmful to humans.

CAN president, Afun Adegbulu, said cocoa farmers economically would not be able to meet the new regulation should the government fail to assist them, stating that if the government failed to assist the farmers, cocoa beans from Nigeria would be rejected at the international market.

According to Adegbulu, the majority of the farmers had stockpiled the banned pesticides in anticipation of an increase in the price of cocoa. (dpa)