Business
NACCIMA Rep Urges Farmers To Exploit Hybrid Oil Palm Seedlings
The Rivers State Representative of the Nigeria Chambers of Commerce Mines Industries And Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mr. Erasmus Chukwundah, has urged palm oil farmers to consider hybrid seedlings for planting, if they must break even in palm oil business.
Chukwundah stated this recently at the Free Oil Palm Business Climate Smart Best Management Practice/Assistance Training organized by Partnership Initiative In Niger Delta (PIND) organized for Palm Oil Farmers in Elele Ikwerre Local Government Area.
He said until palm oil farmers begin to consider such hibrid oil palm seedlings, they may not meet up with the daily increasing demand of palm oil in the market.
According to him, the seedlings produce up to 30 bunches at once and ripened same time.
PIND, he explained, decided to partner with Oil Palm Growers Association of Nigeria (OPGAN) to ensure that the message was received by the targeted audience.
According to him, palm oil remained a popular choice of industry operators as it could be converted to many other products such as vegetable cooking oil.
He also noted that products like motor tyers, marine ropes and others are now gotten from the palm tree.
Chukwundah, who is the immediate past Director-General of Port Harcourt Chamber of Commerce, Mines, Industries, and Agriculture (PHCCIMA), further warned against use of non-recommended fertilizers in growing oil palms.
He was of the view that such practices could limit its export value or chances as the foreign marketers have a way of detecting such.
But he urged farmers to instead, go for organic fertilizers, including poultry droppings to enable them have a natural palm oil.
“People must reduce physical contact with palm oil production that is why we are campaigning for hydrolic oil mill. The foreign markets are no longer interested in crude method of palm oil production”, he said.
Meanwhile, one of the farmers, Sonny Didia, who appreciated Chukwundah’s commitment towards the concern of farmers, appealed for an urgent need for loan opportunity with low interest rate in order to enable them beat the target.
King Onunwor