Governor Willie Obiano has inaugurated the 2018 Anambra State Trade Fair and Dry Season Farming.
The Fair, organized by the State Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture in collaboration with Ministry of Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export at the Chuba Ikpeazu Sports Stadium, Onitsha, has its themes as “Promoting Economic Development through Manufacturing, Trade and Agriculture,” and “Our Action is Our Future; Zero Hunger is Possible” respectively.
Different Agric stakeholders attended the event with various exhibitions stands. Inaugurating the event, Governor Obiano said that the two themes share a common concern about agriculture and hunger which clearly confirm that Agro-Business is a great avenue to achieving economic development and stability for a sustained future.
The Governor stated that major performance indicators point to a positive growth in the 2018 wet planting season, with over one thousand new farmers duly registered within seven months bringing the number from one hundred and nine thousand, one hundred and thirty-seven in 2017 to one hundred and ten thousand, one hundred and forty-four farmers.
While calling on Ndi Anambra to take advantage of the agric revolution in the State and apply for loans, the Governor pointed out that rice production rose from two hundred and forty-four thousand, two hundred and thirty-five metric tons in 2016 to three hundred and forty-five
thousand metric tons in 2017 and stands at four hundred and forty thousand metric tons by the end 2018, while cassava production shot up from one million, seven hundred and ninety-two thousand, five hundred and ninety-six in 2016 to one million, eight hundred and eighty-one thousand, five hundred and eighty-nine metric tons in 2017, and Maize production increased from thirty-nine thousand, nine hundred and two to forty-three thousand, five hundred and twenty-one metric tons in the last planting season, which evidently increased land utilization due to influx of more people into the agriculture sector.
The Commissioner for Trade and Commerce, Mr. Christian Madubuko said that the fair provides a platform for Ndi Anambra and investors to showcase their products and services, while the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mechanization, Processing and Export, Mr. Afam Mbanefo stressed that activities and efforts in the Ministry now gears towards increased promotion of agriculture as a business.
The Chairman, Anambra Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Mr. Humphrey Ngonadi, represented by Mr. Uche Apakama applauded the tax incentives of the Governor, but expressed worry about touts who according to him flout the directive, and called for total enforcement.
The Chairman Trade Fair Planning Committee, Sir Chris Ukachukwu said that the choice of Onitsha as the venue for the event is strategic, because it is the largest commercial city in the South East and West Africa.
Dignitaries that graced the event include the Traditional Ruler of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe and his cabinet.
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