Governor Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji of Ekiti State has approved a 50 per cent subsidy on oil palm, cocoa and cashew seedlings to be distributed to farmers in the state this planting season.
The State Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, who made this known in statement made available to newsmen in Ado-Ekiti, said the move is part of strategic steps by the Oyebanji administration to create employment and wealth and also return the State to the golden era of the 1970s when it was reputed globally as one of the leading cocoa producing centres in Nigeria.
He said the scheme is intended to bring back the glory years by replacing aged trees in old plantations and those lost to bush burning with improved seedlings with short gestation periods while efforts are also on to inject willing young committed farmers into cocoa plantation farming
The Commissioner urged all legacy farmers and new ones to key into the scheme and benefit from the programme, noting that the government will also support the farmers with agrochemicals to prevent fungal diseases, pests and ultimately improve yield.
He disclosed that the global cocoa business was booming in the international market as prices of the commodity had climbed on the International market to 10,000 dollars/metric tonne.
He advised interested farmers to reach out to the Tree Crops Department of the Ministry and get the details of payment as stated on the flyer.
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