Ondo State Governor, Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, has expressed optimism that the state would soon be the leading producer of oil palm and cashew in the country.
Governor Akeredolu said his administration’s investment in cash crops would help reduce the country’s dependence on oil.
Akeredolu spoke when he visited the Chocolate factory at Idanre which was recently acquired by Johnvents Limited.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Agric and Agribusiness, Pastor Akin Olotu, Governor Akeredolu said he was delighted at the transformation of the factory by its new owners.
He said the people would soon begin to feel the impact of the state’s investment in oil palm and cashew.
According to him, “We are doing perfectly well in Oil palm. In the next three years, Ondo State will be number one in oil palm in Nigeria. We have done that and we are not relenting in our efforts.
Cashew, he stressed would be given topmost attention starting from October this year. ‘In Ondo State, we would have a million seedlings of Cashew that would be produced and planted in this state’.
He continued: “We have cocoa farms. We have a single cocoa estate. Mr. Governor has opened a new cocoa farm for our farmers for cocoa farming in clusters. It is an opportunity I believe our people would jump at. We will continue to give the support, not just that, we have given over 3 million seedlings of cocoa. That would be impactful”.
He added: “Some of the things we have done, you might not be feeling the effects immediately, but in two or three years the story would change. Sustainability has come to stay, the structure, the business concept, the management, only a madman would work against what is going on here.”
Managing Director, Johnvents, Mr. Oloyede Olatunji, said chocolates from the factory were of international standard.
He appealed to the state government to create a more friendly environment for local and small businesses to thrive.
