The Ekiti State Government has assured palm oil producers in the state of necessary support to enhance production of high quality products that would meet international market standard and boost the state’s foreign exchange earnings.
The Commissioner for Trade, Investment, Industry and Co-operatives, Mrs. Omotayo Adeola gave the assurance at a meeting with members of the Association of Palm Oil Producers at Ise-Ekiti.
Mrs. Adeola said that her visit to the community was aimed at identifying with them as well as fashioning out ways of collaboration and producing quality products in the area, being the oil palm belt in the state, adding that Gov. Biodun Oyebanji was prepared to make Ekiti South Senatorial District a hub for palm oil production in the South-West region of the country.
She emphasized that part of her mandate was to promote and project local production of commodities that would be acceptable in any part of the world.
Adeola charged the producers to form credible cooperative groups for them to have access to government’s financial aid to boost their business.
In his remarks, the Arinjale of Ise-Ekiti, Oba Ayodele Ajayi, appreciated Governor Oyebanji for his efforts at improving and standardizing local production of commodities in the state, adding that the move would turn around the fortunes of the local producers and launch the state into the global economic landscape.
Also speaking, the Iyaloja of Ise-Ekiti, Chief Mrs. Olabisi Okunmolale advised palm oil producers to make use of the opportunity presented by the Biodun Oyebanji-led Government to improve on their output.
She appealed to the governor to facilitate soft loans for members of the association, saying that the processing of palm oil was capital intensive.
The Chairman of the Association, Mr. Kaleyemi Oladimeji, who is the founder of Emkala Ventures, a palm oil and cassava processing industry in Ise-Ekiti appreciated the governor for bringing governance to their door steps.
Mr Kaleyemi who said that low and substandard production from members was as a result of the malfunctioning and obsolete locally fabricated processing machines, solicited the intervention of the state government at acquiring standard palm oil processing equipment and facilitating loans for members, with an assurance that the association would not disappoint the state government.
