Anambra state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Nnamdi Onukwuba says the Obiano administration has created enabling environment for agricultural production and agro-businesses to thrive in the state.
Speaking at a media interface tagged “Meet the Media”, at Jerome Udoji Secretariat, Awka, Commissioner Onukwuba stressed that it is the major responsibility of government to create environment that will make business ventures viable.
Government House Correspondent, Ejike Abana reports that the Commissioner recalled that at inception, Governor Obiano who inherited agriculture production in its low ebb, became the first Governor to draw up policies to aid exportation of agro-products, including pumpkin and yam, among others.
According to the Commissioner said that apart from the fact that the registered Anambra rice gained momentum, the policy engendered collaboration with private individuals to develop the sector, pointing out that partnership with private millers increased rice production from eighty-thousand metric tons his administration met to three hundred and forty-five thousand metric tons, with a projection of four hundred and seventy-five thousand metric tons in 2020.
He noted that the market is growing, while about five thousand people are involved in vegetable production and disclosed that government is working hard to resuscitate oil palm venture which used to be the mainstay of the economy.
He advocated the establishment of Ogbo Mmanu for oil palm production, urging communities to develop oil palm production, while stressing the need to establish Oil Palm Development Agency and disclosed that a memo has been sent to the Governor in that regard.
The Commissioner, noted that the state livestock production recently instituted “efi Igbo” Association and revealed that a new federal government loan of two hundred million naira will be accessed by nine states, with particular interest in poultry, piggery and honey production and called on the people to support the present administration, which he said is genuinely concerned about the welfare of the masses .