By Our Reporter/Agency Report
The Cross River State Government says it has awarded the sum of NGN1.16billion contract for the commencement of work on a banana plantation in Akamkpa local government area of the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources in the state, Anthony Eneji stated this in an interview Sunday, in Calabar where he said that the contract is in the first phase.
He said work will soon commence in 100 hectares out of the 250 hectares of the land allocated for the project with the contractor mobilized to site for the first phase of the project.
The second phase will commence later in Boki local government area, Eneji said and pointed out that the state will explore turning the banana into finished products.
“The farm will grow different species of banana, and thereafter, turn them into finished products such as fruit juice, banana sweets, (and) chips and so on,” he said.
The commissioner said the state had been blessed with natural crops like banana, plantain, pineapples and Cucumber, among other.
Findings by CrossRiverWatch revealed that a Mexican, Juan San Carlos who is reputed to be the largest exporter of banana to Europe backed out of the state recently following an alleged perception of ‘un-seriousness’ from the state leadership.
He is said to be investing in neighboring Akwa Ibom State right now.
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