12/05/2008 (Business Day Online, Nigeria) - The Federal Government is seeking the assistance of Malaysia towards improving the standard of oil palm produce in the country.

Charles Ugwu, Minister of Commerce and Industry said in Uyo during the opening of a one-day sensitisation workshop on oil palm produce organised by the ministry in conjunction with palm produce association of Nigeria.

“I am happy to inform that in the desire to improve the standard of oil palm produce in Nigeria, Malaysian Government had been contacted on finding a final solution towards yield, variety and quality of products, ’’ the minister said.

According to him, the ministry has also secured a project on “improving the income generating potential of the oil palm in Nigeria and Cameroon’’ from the Common Fund for Commodities (CFC) as a means of increasing employment opportunities and income in the rural areas.

Represented by the director of commodities, Usman Kwandu, the minister identified adulteration and illegal importation of Tallow and the dominance of old palm trees as major problems working against effective development of the oil palm in the country.

He noted that adulteration and colouring of oil palm has greatly affected the competitiveness of the country’s palm oil locally and in the international market.

He said the palm oil industry at full-scale development could play a significant role in improving the production of crude palm oil, palm kernel oil and all the oil palm by-products for the domestic and export markets.

“Palm oil’s unique composition makes it versatile in its application in food, chemicals, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries while the oil palm trees are veritable raw materials for the production of paper board, particle board, door frames, etc.’’ he said

In his remarks, Paul Ekpo, commissioner for commerce and industry said Akwa Ibom State has built three oil palm depots for large scale storage of palm produce urging marketers to utilize the facility to store and sell at competitive prices to shore up their earnings and reduce rural poverty.