Enugu, Firm Sign MoU On Pineapples Production

The Enugu State Gov ernment has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with a foreign firm, Group O San Carlos of Mexico, for large scale cultivation of pineapples in the state.

In an interview with our correspondents in Enugu, the state’s Commissioner for Agriculture, Prof Martins Anikwe, said the state government was on the verge of ordering equipment for the plantation.

He said the plantation had 3000 hectares of pineapple or chard with complimentary tools for the processing of the produce at the time of full operation.

Anikwe noted that the state governor signed the document so that the state could key into the innovative growth enhancement scheme of the Federal Government.

“The state is going to start exporting pineapples to Europe and other places of interest, so the programme is also on course, we have other joint ventures with some other companies on agriculture production.

“So the state is doing quite a lot of things in agriculture and you know this is a farming season and we are working assiduously to meet the yearnings and aspirations of our people, which is to produce enough food to the people of Enugu State, export, create jobs for people out there and then improve their livelihood,” Anikwe explained.

On other agricultural programmes in the state, the commissioner said that the government had acquired 2000 hectares of land in each of the local government areas for commercial farming.

Anikwe noted the government would engage the youth in the farms, adding that it would reduce unemployment in the state.