Dr Kelechi Nwanchor, a lecturer at the Ebonyi State University (EBSU), has called on the Federal and the State Government to invest in large-scale palm tree plantation.
Nwanchor, a lecturer at the Department of Crop Production and Landscape Management, made the call on Tuesday in Abakaliki while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the University’s CAS Campus.
According to him, Ebonyi possesses vast arable land suitable for rapid cultivation and growth of palm trees.
He described palm trees as highly valuable economic crops with enormous benefits across the agricultural, nutritional and industrial sectors.
“Palm tree is very important across the tropical region.
“Its value cuts across economic, nutritional and industrial purposes,” he said.
He explained that palm trees provided numerous products and by-products, including palm wine, brooms, firewood, baskets, agroforestry materials, palm kernel cake, detergents, margarine, palm oil and raw materials for biscuit production.
The don added that palm products were also useful in the pharmaceutical industry.
Nwanchor described palm tree cultivation as “another oil well yet to be fully discovered.”
According to him, palm oil and related products currently command high market values nationally and internationally.
“A litre of palm oil is more expensive than a litre of fuel in national and international markets.
“Countries such as Finland and Germany are in serious need of palm oil products from Nigeria, especially from the South-East.
“I once facilitated discussions with an agency from Finland, which expressed willingness to partner with the Ebonyi Government on palm tree cultivation, beginning with 1,000 seedlings and modern equipment support,” he said.
Also speaking with NAN, Mr Cosmos Nwoha, Managing Director of Unique Horticulture, described palm tree cultivation as a profitable venture.
Nwoha identified the “Tenera” variety as one of the best palm tree seedlings, adding that it sells for about N1,000 per seedling and N800 for bulk purchases. (NAN)
