Rubber Plantation Can Generate N200bn IGR for Cross River State — Inameti

 

The Chairman of Natural Rubber Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NARP- MAN), Cross River State, Mr. Umo Inameti, has disclosed that natural rubber can generate as much as N200 billion annually for the state, if given the desired attention by government and enabling environment for the rubber plantation farmers to operate freely.

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Inamenti explained that states and Federal Government should give deserved attention to rubber in order to bolster the economy and reduce unemployment rate in the country at a period the country is facing socio-economic challenges. Inameti stressed the importance of rubber and how it can be explored to the country’s advantage, especially adding values to the economy.

Inameti, while addressing the state Commissioner for Crops and Irrigation Development, Johnson Ebokpo, in his office in Calabar, Cross River State, recently, said: “If we are able to do 50,000 hectares in the next few years, we will drastically reduce rural-urban migration and we will be making about N200 billion direct income to our primary industries annually, not to talk of the by-products.”

He said since the oil boom, the state did not give prime attention anymore to rubber which used to be its mainstay years ago. “Cross River depended heavily on rubber but presently, the state does not have up to 10,000 hectares of prime producing rubber due to the impact of the oil boom,” Inameti said.

He appealed that rubber should be added in the state’s 2024 budget, praying further that government should come out with a policy document to develop the commodity by making available, at least 100,000 hectares of land for rubber cultivation. Also speaking on the importance of rubber, National Vice President South-South of NARPMAN, Mr Usen Umoh, called for development of rubber in the state.