|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
NARPPMAN President, Peter Igbinosun and Cross River State Commissioner for Agriculture, Okon Owuna, right
By Akpan David, Calabar
National President of Natural Rubber Producers, Processors and Marketers (NARPPMAN), Prince Peter Igbinosun has disclosed that they will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a big time rubber firm in Cross River State which cultivates the high-yielding rubber stump from Malaysia to supply to its 24 state members.
The rubber boss told journalists in Calabar after a one week tour of rubber plantations in the state and visits to critical stakeholders in preparation for upcoming Rubber Week in the state in September 2021 and Rubber conference in Benin in October 2021.
He said the association has plan to acquire 160,000 hectares of land for the 24 member-states that produce rubber to plant the high-yielding clone varieties.
The farmer said that they prefer such clone variety or stump because it does not take many years to grow compared with the traditional variety.
He said the association is encouraging members and other stakeholders to regenerate their plantations as many planted over 50 years ago may not be producing quality and enough latex to meet increasing demands.
Igbinosun said his visit to the state was to revive the understanding and relationship with the state government and also encourage rubber farmers in the state to consolidate on the position of he state as second biggest producer of rubber in the country.
He expressed happiness at the seriousness shown by the state government to intervene and bolster efforts of rubber farmers, adding that there is going to be greater collaboration since his association’s plan and that of the state are identical.
Meanwhile, smallholder farmers in the State, especially those in the natural rubber sub-sector have been encouraged to form themselves into clusters and cooperatives in order to access an array of grants, other international agricultural funds and machineries which the government has now attracted into the state.
Commissioner for agriculture and natural resources, Okon Owuna also have the encouragement when Igbinosun led officials of the state rubber association on a courtesy call on him.
He assured that upon receipt of proper requests, they can approve the 25,000 hectares of land for rubber cultivation in order to sustain their number two position in the country, and another 25,000 for palm fruits and other cash crops plantations.
Owuna said the government is ready to assist farmers with lands because it is one major requirement by international fund donors and the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Owuna said: “I strongly encourage rubber farmers in the state to be proactive in order to draw much-needed funds and grants from many international organizations which the state is partnering with.
“We have the lands required by these fund donors as a major collateral but you must form yourselves into groups and cooperatives before you can access the grants. You have to request for lands and we are ready to approve.
“We’re in strong partnerships with International donor groups out to find the three major tree crops, including rubber, cocoa and palm oil. And the state is serious about resuscitating rubber and palm oil estates. We know that rubber which sustained the economy of the state before independence and even paid workers salaries, can presently revive our state economy given our support. The is why we want to have robust partnership with rubber farmers as an association.”
