06/09/2012 (The Guardian) - The Federal Government, yesterday, formally handed over 1.3 million seedlings to 18 participating oil palm estates, as part of efforts to boost the commodity’s production in the country.

The seedlings would be distributed to each participating estate at an average of 75,000 to 82,500 nuts.

This would among others improve the productivity of farmers through fertility management practices and enhance semi wild groove yield through gradual replacement of old and unproductive wild palms with improved planting materials

It would also facilitate achievement of the target set by the Federal Government to cultivate 240,000 hectares of land for oil palm within the next three years by smallholder farmers and estates.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, who disclosed this in Abuja at the signing of agreement with the Ministry by participating estates in the 2012 Oil Palm Nursery Field Planting activity, said that the 1,395,000 seedlings would suffice to establish 9.300 hectares of farmland.

He said the ministry, this year, set a target to raise nine million improved tenera sprouted nuts into mature seedlings for the establishment of 60,000 hectares next year, adding that the government had secured four million nuts from the Nigerian Institute of Oil Palm Research (NIFOR).

Adesina listed the participating states under the scheme to include Kogi, Edo, Ondo, Delta, Cross River, Ogun, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Abia, Osun and Edo, while participating estates, which are mostly intermediate and large private operators include Kogi Oil Palm Ltd Acharu-Egume, Kogi State; Okitipupa Oil Palm Estate, Ondo State; Wilbahi Oil Palm Estate, Edo State; Nsukwa Oil Palm Estate, Delta State; NIFOR, Benin Edo State.

Others are Ibara Environs Consultants Nigeria ltd, Cross River State; Araromi Palm, Ondo state; Apoje Oil Palm Estate, Ogun State; Obotme Oil Palm Estate, Akwa Ibom State; Bayelsa Palm Ltd, Balyelsa State; Hartman Farm, Edo State; Frie-El Abia Palm, Abia State; Atlantic Imperial Ltd, Akwa-Ibom State, E99 Farms About, Osun State; Ihechiowa Oil Palm Estate, Abia State; UPPL Ugwuoba, Enugu State; and Dansa Holdings, Cross River State.

He maintained that their choice of making available improved tenera oil palm nut to the estates was based on its high yielding capacity estimated at over 21metric tones per hectare under good agricultural practice and the ability of the seedlings to withstand many tropical diseases, including the dreaded fusarium wilt.

He said the Ministry is also supporting NIFOR with 5,000 terrylene pollination bags, 500 double aluminum ladders, one seed van, and installation of germinator as well as development five hectare seed garden to make it easier for the institute to promptly meet the seed requirements of farmers.