Plateau’s Gov. Simon Lalong wants farmers in the state to take a fresh look at flower cultivation because of its enormous economic potential.
The governor’s Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Makut Macham, said Lalong made the desire known in Jos on Thursday when he hosted a team of French businessmen.
He noted that farmers in the state were capable of restoring Plateau’s 1970s to 1980’s glory as a flower production area and would be encouraged to export their production.
Lalong noted also that the Yakubu Gowon Cargo Airport and the Inland Container Terminal in the state would facilitate the exportation of flowers produced.
The governor said some farmers were already making headway in flower production in the state as demand kept rising and admonished more farmers to seize the opportunity.
Earlier, leader of the French team, Yan Fortunato, said its visit to six local government areas of the state, had convinced those in the delegation of the enormous potentialities of Plateau in agriculture.
He noted that mechanised agriculture would help the state greatly.
He said the team, which represented other French business interests, identified potato production, its value chain development, flower production, cashew production and processing and forest development as areas of possible partnership.
Fortunato said the findings would be conveyed to other partners, to enable them to continue the process of collaboration with the state in establishing their businesses.
Macham also stated that Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Hosea Finangwai, who was at the visit said the state already had a structure for agriculture business and partnerships particularly in the area of potato production currently being supported by the African Development Bank. (NAN)
