By Samuel
The Akwa Ibom State Government has begun fast-tracking the processes for its novel coconut refinery, as it doled out coconut seedlings to organisations and educational institutions in the state.
The government said that the move was in furtherance of its course to upheave the production of coconut’s end products across the state.
Commissioner for agriculture, Glory Edet, disclosed this to newsmen in Uyo, recently.
Akwa Ibom had previously commenced the construction of the coconut oil refinery in 2017. However, the completion was delayed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, this year.
The refinery is projected to have a capacity of processing about one million coconuts a day, but the government says it would kick-start with a capacity of 300,000 coconuts daily.
In September, AgroNigeria had also reported the government’s commitment to revitalising the coconut value chain.
Edet noted that the exercise was aimed at encouraging organisations and stakeholders to contribute their quota to the completion of the refinery.
She said the government was committed to increasing the coconut production level in the state, adding that the government would lend its support to all relevant stakeholders.
“The ministry of agriculture is poised to encourage individuals, organisations, institutions and corporate bodies to contribute to the collaborative effort of massive production of coconuts and its value chains towards production lines of the coconut oil factory in the state,” the commissioner said.
Speaking further, Edet also explained that the distribution of the seedlings to schools would be in phases, to ensure even distribution.
According to her, adequate supervision will be made by the government to ensure the cultivation of coconuts and other farm inputs by schools which will attract rewards to outstanding schools.
She, therefore, appealed to principals and teachers to help imbibe agric-consciousness in the students, as a way of achieving food security in the state.