FG plans to establish jute bag factories, says Agric Minister

The Federal Government is determined to put in place a funding plan that will ensure establishment of jute bag factories across the states, just as kenaf cultivation is expected to be galvanized.

Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono stated this in a press statement signed by Ezeaja Ikemefuna during the visit of Cocoa Association of Nigeria (CAN) to him in Abuja.

Nanono said that the ministry would seek collaboration with the Ministry of Finance, Budget and National Planning in ensuring that appropriate policy measures and counterpart funding were put in place to fast track the setting up of jute bag factories across the nation as well as to commence the cultivation of Kenaf to ensure availability of raw materials for the production of jute bags.  

The press release added the minister as saying it has become imperative for Nigeria to establish her own jute bag industries to meet international best practices for the export of Cocoa and sundry agricultural produce, saying production of the bag in Nigeria would increase foreign earnings, healthy preservation and certification of the cocoa crop. 

Nanono noted that cocoa is one of the commodities being promoted by the present administration to diversify the economy, pointing the readiness of the ministry to give support to farmers in terms of training's and inputs ‘’ The ministry is eager to support the farmers with the distribution of free agricultural inputs and training to enhance the capacity of cocoa farmers in the country’’.

                     

 ‘’ The ministry recently rolled out disease resistant and early yielding seedlings developed by the Cocoa Research Institute, Ibadan which starts yielding within 30 months of cultivation. These seedlings with other inputs were distributed to farmers in major cocoa producing states where 300,000 cartoons of ultimax – plus fungicides, Hydrocarbon jute bags, collapsible driers, cocoa pods and more were shared to enhance the capacity of cocoa farmers’’ according to the press statement.

 

The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Ernest Afolabi Umakhihe  said in the statement that  ‘’ the agricultural policy put in place by the present government is poised to build an agribusiness ecosystem that would solve challenges in the sector, stressed the need for partnership  with the state governments to achieve food security ,export substitution, job creation and economic diversification’’ 

 

CAN president, Alhaji Mufutau Abolarinwa in the statement appealed for the establishment of a special credit guarantee scheme for the cocoa farmers towards high productivity added that grants/subvention from relevant agencies like CRIN and others would enable CAN to have access to cocoa pods, inputs and equipment to increase production.