Chicason Group To Establish Mechanised Farming In Anambra

To Build N1.2bn Vegetable Oil Plant

THE Managing Director (Manufacturing), of Chicason Group, Nnewi in Anambra state, Mr. Linus Ilozue, an engineer, has disclosed that the company has concluded arrangement to go into mechanised farming, aimed at producing over 1000 tons of palm produce to feed their vegetable oil plant, which presently has production capacity of 50 tons per day.
  
Ilozue added that Chicason Group is set to establish a new vegetable oil refinery at the cost of N1.2billion with a capacity to produce 150 tons per day, in addition to building a soap manufacturing plant valued at N1.5billion with capacity production of 144 tons per day.
 
Consequently, Engr. Ilozue said the company has approached Anambra Government for the allocation of 34,000 hectares of land to establish its palm plantation in the state.
 
In a joint press briefing with the state Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr. Afam Mbanefo at the company premises, Nnewi, Ilozue said employment capacity would be boosted by additional 800 from the present 3,000, while saving foreign exchange.
 
He said production would add value to local resources, improve human lives and encourage the growth of agriculture and agro-based industries to improve food security of the nation.
 
The Managing Director, who said that his company is in dire need of raw materials, regretted that palm kernel and palm oil are very scarce, as he strongly appealed to the governor to consider their request, and make the needed land acquisition possible.
   
The Agriculture Commissioner disclosed that government has introduced several measures including mapping out a total of 165,000 hectares of land and setting up land committees to encourage entrepreneurs in the sector.
 
Afam said government desires to encourage development of agriculture/agro-based industries in the state, one of the major interests of Governor Willie Obiano’s administration.