Nigeria: Ekiti offers 50% subsidy to farmers on cocoa, cashew, oil palm seedlings

As part of efforts to boost tree crops production in Ekiti State, Governor Biodun Oyebanji has approved 50 per cent subsidy on oil palm, cocoa and cashew seedlings to be distributed to farmers during this planting season in the state. The Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, Mr Ebenezer Boluwade, said in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State capital that interested farmers should reach out to the Tree Crops Department of the Ministry on the development. Boluwade said, “The move is part of strategic steps by the Oyebanji administration to create employment and wealth. It is also targeted at returning Ekiti State to the golden era of the 1970s when the state was reputed globally as one of the leading cocoa producing centres in Nigeria.” He said, “The scheme is intended to bring back the glorious years by replacing aged trees in old plantations and those lost to bush burning with improved seedlings with short gestation period while efforts are also on to inject willing young committed ...