The Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr. Ernest Umakhihe, has retiterated the government’s commitment to development of rubber value chain and other cash crops in a bid to diversify the economy and grow non-oil export revenue.
Reviving rubber production and its value chain in Nigeria, Dr. Umakhihe, said will close the vaccum the supply of raw materials for local industries and boost earnings of the local producers.
Dr. Umakhihe made the disclosure recently during a meeting with a delegation from International Rubber Study Group (IRSG) in Abuja.
Umakhihe noted that the ministry has over the years been prioritising and promoting the development of rubber value chain with the distribution of improved budded rubber stumps plating materials, growth enhancers to farmers to raise plantations, facilitating training on nursery development as well as tapping techniques.
He explained that part of the initiative include the identification and management of white rot rubber diseases under rehabilitation, management and replanting of existing rubber farms across rubber producing states in the country.
The permanent secretary revealed that the ministry, in collaboration with Lohashilpi Sheeting Processing Technology, has established Rubber Resource Centre (RRC) in Ovia South West Local Government Area, Edo State.
