Palm fruit processors decry scarcity of materials

Mr Ojo Molade, Chairman, Fadama Community Association (FCA) in Ijagba, Ondo State, has decried the scarcity of palm fruits used in producing palm oil. Molade said on Wednesday at Ijagba in Ondo State that the scarcity had made the palm oil business dull in the area. The association’s palm oil processing unit was among the Fadama III project sites visited by the Fadama III technical assistance team to the state. The Fadama III project was conceived by the World Bank and the Federal Government as a follow up to Fadama I and II. The implementation period of Fadama III is five years spanning from 2008 to 2013. The objective of the project is to reduce poverty and increase food security as well as empower users of land and water resources to generate more income. Molade explained that before now, oil palm producers took their products to processing shed, adding that scarcity of the raw materials had made them stay back. “We use to produce two drums of palm oil on a daily basis here, but now the business is dull and it has really affected our income. “The state government and Fadama have come to our aid before now by giving us the loan facility to acquire the equipment to process palm oil. “He noted that the cost of production dropped with the new equipment.’’ According to Molade, the association use burnt waste from the kernel for making black soap. He called on governments at all levels to help restore steady power supply to the town, adding that it would go a long way in boosting production. (NAN)