… acquires 734 hectares of land outside state
Driven by the desire for increased food production, Lagos State government with 734 hectares of land acquired in neighbouring states and Abuja is delving into the production of palm oil, cassava and cattle rearing outside the state.
Commissioner for agriculture, Oluwatoyin Suarau, told journalists on Tuesday, that of the total of 500 hectares acquired in Ogun, 125 hectares had been earmarked for rice production. The remaining hectares, he said government would be willing to release to private investors interested in food production.
He disclosed that the state government was already into palm oil tree and cassava cultivation on about 84.6 hectares acquired in Osun, while the 50 hectares acquired in Kuje, Abuja, was serving for cattle rearing and fattening.
He said the government has engaged farmers to work on various farms and that the produce are strictly meant for the Lagos market, in the efforts to ensure food availability for the residents of the state.
Specifically on rice production in the state, the commissioner said there has been increase from less than one ton to three tons per hectares aided by irrigation in some areas.
He restated the efforts being aimed to further boost production and to up the capacity of the rice mill at Imota from 2. 5 metric to 16 metric tons per hour in partnership with the private investors in rice processing.
He said the collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi States on the development of commodities including rice, wheat, groundnut, onions, maize/sorghum and beef was yielding result, citing the launch in December 2016 of the LAKE Rice.
“The product has since the launch being on sales at various centres across the state. So far, a total of 32,647 bags of 50kg; 32,539 bags of 25kg and 30,780 bags of 10kg have been sold,” Suarau said.
The commissioner added that 100 farmers through the FADAMA III additional financing programme were also producing rice at Itokin in Epe local government in furtherance of the effort to engage youths in farming.
He said the government was intensifying efforts to establish additional farm estates in Eluju-Mowo and Igbodu to foster public private partnership arrangement and to set up a cattle-fattening estate in Imota through public private partnership.
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
