The Edo Authorities on Friday mentioned it attracted over N29 billion non-public funding within the agricultural sector, focused at oil palm and rubber plantation growth.
The Particular Adviser to the Governor on Media and Communication Technique, Mr. Crusoe Osagie, disclosed this in an announcement made out there to newsmen in Benin.
Osagie mentioned that Gov. Godwin Obaseki’s imaginative and prescient to remodel Edo into an funding hub within the final three years and 7 months, had created an enabling atmosphere for buyers.
“The governor’s imaginative and prescient has made the state an funding vacation spot for buyers searching for to develop plantations.
“The important thing buyers within the state’s non-public sector-led plantation growth embrace Dufil Prima Meals and Rubber Estates Nigeria Ltd.
“Dufil Prima Meals shall be investing US$600 million (N23.2 billion) in pursuit of its backward integration programme by organising 17,954 hectares of oil palm plantation in 14 communities in Ovia North East Native Authorities Space of the state.
“The Rubber Estates Nigeria Ltd. is expending N5.1 billion in reviving the Urhonigbe Rubber Property in Orionmwon Native Authorities Space which has created jobs and improved livelihood within the goal and surrounding communities,” Osagie mentioned
In accordance with him, Dufil Prima Meals is dedicated to creating employment alternatives and decreasing importation within the state.
“The corporate has undertaken a crop compensation train within the benefiting communities, which paves manner for the oil palm plantation challenge that can embrace set up of an built-in palm oil mill.
“The subsequent step after the compensation train is the Environmental Influence Evaluation (EIA) in addition to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) obligatory evaluation and growth of nursery,” he added
The governor’s aide disclosed additional that Rubber Estates planting operation could be in two phases, with the primary part masking 1,300 hectares and the second masking 1,000 hectares.
“About N5.1 billion shall be invested in Urhonigbe Rubber Plantation and a complete of 350 employees shall be employed on the plantation.
“Different key buyers within the state’s booming plantation farming sector embrace Nosak Group; Presco Plc and Okomu Plc, amongst others,” he mentioned.
Ime N