.400,000 cocoa seedlings planted, 4,511 acres cultivated with new tractors
Yinka Kolawole in Osogbo
Governor Ademola Adeleke has expressed happiness at the various successes recorded under the agricultural sector in the last three years, reeling out statistics on planting expansion in cocoa, oil palm and cashew sectors.
The governor who continued the sectoral review of Osun governance starting from 2023 had in the previous two weeks appraised his administration’s achievements recorded in road and sports infrastructure.
Speaking after receiving the agro-sector report, the governor said his administration’s cocoa expansion initiative received a boost with 400,000 cocoa seedlings planted from 2023 till date.
The governor who announced the cocoa expansion initiative early in the life of the administration noted that cocoa seedlings were generously extended to farmers at a very subsidised rate, expressing happiness that “Osun is on the road to reclaiming frontline position ahead of Ondo and Cross River states.”
While promising a more aggressive cocoa planting plan, the governor said the expansion initiative is being complemented with a renewed drive for creation of agro – processing infrastructure to develop the cocoa value chains.
Aside from the good report from the cocoa sector, the Governor also announced that the cashew extension project has recorded huge success with 80,000 seedlings planted from 2023 till date.
Calling it a game changer, Governor Adeleke said Osun is seeking to ramp up its annual output in the sector to boost the increasing capacity of cashew stakeholders to meet local and global demands.
“I am also happy to announce that a total of 60,000 oil palm seedlings were planted within the same period. We target those three major cash crops in our drive for diversification. We want to be known to be the hub of not just cocoa but of cashew and oil palm.
“And for the opposition APC that bought no single tractor throughout its years in power, I have a wonderful report about the good output of our 31 tractors serving farmers across the 30 local governments and Area Council.
“Our administration purchased 31 tractors with the hope of buying more in phases to meet the 117 targets. But the seizure of the Osun local government fund changed the plan.
“However, the 31 tractors located across the state have been serving the local farmers very well at subsidised rates. I am happy to report that from 2025 till date, the state tractors have cultivated 4,511 acres.
“This is a big leap forward from the previous government which showed a very low level of mechanisation through tractorisation. Our farmers are enjoying the tractorisation services across the state.
“Our farmers also enjoyed several batches of farm inputs since the inception of this administration. Ours is a pro-farmers government. I express our thanks to the Osun State Farmers’ Association for the endorsement of my re-election as governor of Osun state,” the governor posited.