14/07/2010 (Vanguard), Benin - EXECUTIVE Director of the Nigerian Institute for Oil Palm Research, NIFOR, Dr. Dere Okiy, warned yesterday in Benin,  that until the private sector engages in the mass production of palm oil, Nigeria will remain a net importer of the product.
He spoke when fielding questions from journalists on why  Nigeria has remained a net importer of palm oil in spite of the existence of NIFOR founded in 1939 by the colonial masters to carry out research on palm oil.

Addressing newsmen as part of activities to mark the 71 years of the Institute’s establishment, Dr. Okiy attributed the shortage of edible oil  in the country to the non-mass production of the product  by NIFOR,  insisting that the Institute was only engaged in research, the result of which is passed on to commercial private producers.

According to him, “the emphasis of the Institute is on research and not on production. Private individuals are supposed to be the driving force for mass production of palm oil.”

He, called on private investors to avail themselves of the research findings of the Institute and engage in mass production of palm oil.

Observing that land tenure system in the country was a problem to private mass production of palm oil by individuals, he called on local and state governments to provide contiguous land areas to oil palm farmers to encourage mass production.

Dr. Okiy disclosed that the Institute long perfected the production of biodiesel fuel as alternative source of fuel, adding that it was only produced for demonstration and not in commercial quantity as it was only the private sector that is better placed to go into commercial production of the fuel.

He explained that following the United Nations ban on the use of edible palm oil for the production of biodiesel fuel, the Institute devised a means of mopping up used oil for the production of the fuel.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of NIFOR Governing Board of Directors, Emeritus Prof. Chijioke Nwosu, who also spoke on the occasion, blamed the failure of the country  to produce palm oil  in commercial quantity on the neglect of agriculture by government at various levels following the discovery  of crude oil in Nigeria.

Earlier, the Chairman of the Celebration Committee for NIFOR at 71, Chief Ewie Aimienwanuu, enumerated some of the activities lined up for the celebration to include lecture, road show and sporting activities among others.