No fewer than 250,000 free hybrid cocoa seedlings have been distributed by the Ondo State Government to farmers across three senatorial districts of the state for the 2019 planting season.
The Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Adegboyega Adefarati made this known during the official distribution of 40,000 cocoa seedlings to farmers on Wednesday in Ile-Oluji, Southern Senatorial District of the state.
Adefarati said that the distribution was part of Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu’s commitment to continue to provide good planting materials for the farmers across the state.
“As a follow up to that, I consider it very important to be here to kick start the free distribution of 250,000 improved cocoa seedlings to our farmers across the three senatorial districts of the state.
“For this year, we carefully select two towns from each senatorial districts for easy distribution to farmers for southern part Ile-Oluji and Okitipupa was chosen.
“Others are Central Akure and Ondo town was chosen while for northern part Ikare-Akoko and Owo was also chosen,’’ he said.
Adefarati, who noted that the cocoa seedlings was high yielding with early maturing and insect pest and disease resistant varieties, said it would help farmers on better yield and put more money into their pockets.
According to him, the cocoa seedlings will continue to yield within 18 to 24 months of planting
“As we all know, Ondo State is the home of cocoa in Nigeria and we need to consolidate on this position by taking proactive steps to ensure we remain at the pinnacle of its production.
“So, we will start it here in Ile-Oluji with 40,000 cocoa seedlings because this is the only way we can assist our farmers and encourage them to farm and improve our IGR too,’’ he said.
Adefarati, therefore, admonished farmers to plant the seedlings given to them on time to ensure they were well established before the end of this rainy season.
“Subsequently, it is worthy of mention that the Central Bank of Nigeria will soon commence the allocation of N20 billion to farmers across the country, cocoa farmers inclusive on a tenure of 10 years at a single digit interest of nine per cent,’’ he said.
The commissioner therefore called on farmers to support the present administration to enable them enjoy more dividends of the democracy.
Mr Segun Odusanya, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry said that the gesture was to empower and improve production of cocoa farmers in the state.
Odusanya said that the free hybrid cocoa seedlings would be given to only registered and real farmers which the communities could identify as a cocoa farmer.
“We are targeting at least over 2,000 farmers to benefit from the distribution across the state because each farmer will be given between 100 to 200 seedlings,’’ he said.
Chief Adenisimi Akinbisodun, the Chairman of Farmers Congress, Ile-Oluji, a beneficiary said the gesture would help them to replace all the old cocoa in the farm.
“What the government is doing today is an excellent work and we are appreciating what the Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has done for us through the state commissioner of agriculture.
“The free distribution will go a long way to enhance our productions and help us to generate more money so that we can train our children in schools.’’
Oyewale Gabriel, another beneficiary and a youth farmer, urged other youths to see cocoa farming as a job, saying it was the only way they could achieve their goals in life.
Gabriel, therefore, appealed to state government to continue helping farmers, especially youth farmers by subsidising all agricultural materials and give soft loans for more people to key into farming as business.
