Obaseki’s reforms: Dufil pays off 1,628 farmers, sets to source raw materials for Indomie, vegetable oil, others from Edo

Following its acquisition of 17,954 hectares of land from the Edo State government for palm oil cultivation as part of its backward integration drive, Dufil Prima Foods Plc has embarked on a crop compensation payment for 1,628 farmers across 14 communities in Ovia North – East Local Government Area of the state.

The payment exercise, which is being overseen by the State’s Ministry of Agriculture, commenced on April 8, 2019, and is expected to continue for three weeks.

The development is germane to Dufil’s backward integration drive and clears the way for the development of a 17,954-hectare oil plantation from which raw materials for the production of popular instant meal, Indomie and vegetable oils, will be sourced in Edo State. It is also in line with the Federal Government’s drive for diversification and strengthening of the agriculture sector.

Chief Operating Officer, Dufil Prima Foods, Mr. Madhukar Khetan, explained that the project marks another significant milestone in Dufil’s commitment to deepening its backward integrated and self-sustaining system, which supports the Nigerian economy by creating employment opportunities, reducing importation and doing so in a sustainable manner.

He added that the crop compensation exercise marks another achievement in the oil palm plantation project, which would include installation of an integrated palm oil mill.

According to Khetan, “In addition to this crop compensation to farmers, Dufil’s commitment to the project is worth billions of naira. The next step after the compensation exercise would be Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as well as the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) mandatory assessments and development of nursery. I commend the Edo State Government’s commitment to ensuring a sustainable venture in the state.”

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