Delta Produces 2.2 Million Tonnes Of Cassava Annually

Delta State appears not to be disturbed by the current fall in oil price as the state has moved into Agriculture, producing an average of 2.2 million metric tonnes of cassava annually to boost its economic base.

The state commissioner for Agriculture, Austin Chikezie who gave the figure while addressing over 50 cassava farmers at a stakeholders meeting in Asaba yesterday said the state is looking elsewhere to drive its economic for the overall benefit of Deltans.

Chikezie said that the state has the potential of becoming one of the biggest agricultural economy, aside oil and gas.

According to the Agriculture commissioner, the state is itching to produce more cassava in the years ahead to meet local and global consumption.

He said the state is increasing this trend because of the supply and distribution of high yielding disease resistant cassava cutting to replace the low yielding cassava mosaic cassava requested by the farmers.

Besides this, the state has produced over five million bundles of improved varieties of cutting and distributed to farmers while modern cassava processing mills with a capacity of two tonnes are being constructed to add value to cassava needs, he said.

The Job Creation Officers, Prof. Eric Eboh told the stakeholders comprising cassava farmers, consultants and government officials that large quantity of cassava production will improve on the state economy as well as create more jobs for the youths.

Prof Eboh said there is “systematic action, adequate consultation, proper planning to improve on the cassava production, adding that there is also a workable practice and mechanism to link production to the target market.