As part of its expansionist policy in the agricultural sector, the management of Ojemai farms limited has concluded plans to invest in sugarcane plantation.
BusinessDay reports that the farms located in Edo state is into mainly poultry farming.
Abdul Oroh, the Edo State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources who gave the hint in an exclusive interview with BusinessDay in Benin-City said the management of Ojemai farms was among the investors that have recently indicated interest to invest in the state’s agro-business sector.
Oroh added that the the authorities of the Nigerian Sugar Council were recently in the state to carry out pre-feasibility studies on the land .
He said the sugarcane farm and refining factory would be established in Owan East local government area of the state.
“The management of Ojemai farms limited has also shown interest to invest in sugarcane plantation as well as sugar production. We have surveyed their land and they want to do sugar plantation with a sugar refining company in Owan East local government area of the state.
“The management of the Nigerian Sugar Council were here last week in the state and they are working in the land to do a pre feasibility study of the area with a view to appropriately advice the investor and also supporting them,” he said.
The commissioner who noted that the state government played much importance in the cultivation and production of rice, sugarcane, rubber, palm oil, cassava among others added that government has several requests to invest in the state.
“The state government has received many requests on rice, oil palm, palm oil, cassava, rubber production. Presently many companies have acquired land scale estates in the state. For instance a subsidiary of Nigerian Flour Mill, Afripalm has acquired more than 25,000 hectares of land this year alone in the state from the existing plantation and from communities.
“We have Dufil which has requested 60,000 hectares of land and we have already surveyed about 40,000 hectares and at the moment we are at the process of granting them land title for the land. Dangote group is trying to do rice and Wilbahi group which is trying to start with about 4000 to 5000 hectares this year,” he added.
He however disclosed that about 12 companies have strongly shown interest to commence operations before the end of the tenure of Adams Oshiomhole -led APC government in the state next year.
He noted that survey had been concluded on some of the investors’ land and at now at the final stage of processing land title documents.
“We have done virtually everything they need to get on the ground. Any of them that is ready can actually start doing something now.
My assurance to the people of the state is that before the end of this administration some of the investments in the agricultural sector will start manifesting in the state,” he stated.
