OGSG DOUBLES EFFORTS TO INCREASE CASSAVA DERIVATIVES FOR INDUSTRIAL USE

OGSG DOUBLES  EFFORTS TO INCREASE CASSAVA DERIVATIVES FOR INDUSTRIAL USE

Ogun State Government says it will continue to boost the agricultural value chain by increasing the volume of processed cassava, as a form of import substitution, into various derivatives for different industries across the State.  

The Commissioner for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Kikelomo Longe, made this known while speaking with journalists in her office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, saying though Nigeria remains the largest producer of cassava in the world, the country has not harnessed the various potentials available in cassava value chain, as only 10 percent of its annual production volume was being used for industrial purpose.

Mrs. Longe revealed that ‘’government’s determination to increase the use of cassava derivatives and export it to other nations led to the adoption of cassava as the State's focus crop, under the One State, One Product programme of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council’’ (NEPC).

She assured that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration would continue to create enabling environment for businesses to thrive and facilitate various interventions to boost cassava value chain, adding that different industries have been patronising farmers in the State, while establishing different farms for agricultural produce needed for production process.

Also speaking, the Head, Trade Promotion Advisor, NEPC, Abeokuta Smart Office, Mr. Samson Idowu said the Council was working with the State government at ensuring that more opportunities through the cassava value chain were adequately harnessed for exportation, to generate more foreign exchange, just as he lauded the present administration’s efforts at boosting the product for convenient sourcing of raw materials by industries within the State.