Akwa Ibom Govt. to construct 3 cassava processing plants-Commissioner


Akwa Ibom Govt. to construct 3 cassava processing plants-Commissioner
 The Akwa Ibom Government has given approval for the construction of three cassava processing plants in order to boost the reduction of the cost of garri and other components of cassava.
Dr Matthew Ekaette, the State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, who disclosed this on Thursday in Uyo while briefing newsmen, said the new plants would replace the moribund ones.
He noted that only 10 per cent to 15 per cent of farmers in the state make use of improved planting materials, adding that arrangements had been put in place to provide improved seedlings to farmers.
“If you improve your seedlings, you will have more production and more output.
“Government wants to put in place this processing plant to be able to process a large quantity of cassava and we also have large quantity of land too to support the processing,’’ he said.
Ekaette said that the state government was ready to change farming situation in the state from the subsistence farming to market driven agriculture.
“We don’t want the situation where somebody goes to production for a whole year and when your crops are due for harvest, you will see a middle man coming to exploit the farmer.’’ 

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