The Greentech Integrated farm in Izzi Local Government Area (LGA) of Ebonyi, says it will soon commence the production of flour, starch and ethanol to complement its garri production capabilities.Chief Austin Edeze, the farm’s Chief Executive Officer, made the disclosure on Sunday while interacting with a News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent at its location in Ekebeligwe village of the council.
Edeze a foremost agriculturist and Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), said that its cassava processing facility produces at optimal capacity.“We want to diversify because our processing facility is equipped with the best available technology and operates in a hygenic environment.“A team from the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Abia, was recently at the farm as part of our collaboraion with the institute,” he said.
He noted that the team from the research institute tested already discovered varieties of cassava at the farm such as ‘the game changer and farmers pride’ among others.“The team inaugurated a demonstration farm at this facility which is aimed at enhancing our collaboration with the institute.“We produce and supply the best varieties of cassava stems in large quantities such as the TMS 581, 312, 419, pro vitamin A and several local varieties,” he said.Edeze noted that the farm was also collaborating with the Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki, to test its International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA)-approved species of white yam.‘We rear the best species of pigs and fishes with the availability of six earth and 12 concrete ponds,”.
“We also produce rice, vegetables, cucumber, millets, guinea corns among others in large quantities,” he said.He noted that despite the prevailing economic conditions in the country, the farm produces between 35-40 tonnes of cassava per hectre.“We make appreciable profit but the cost of inputs and labour soar daily.“This makes production expensive and lower expectations in profit,” he said.A NAN correspondent who visited the farm reports that it sits on a massive expanse of land with large number of workers engaged in various production and processing duties. (NAN)
