BY KENECHUKWU OFOMAH
Rice planting has fully commenced on 800 hectares of land at Coschars Farms, Anaku in Ayamelum Council Area.

The farm which is run under a Public Private Partnership arrangement, has a total farming area of 2800 hectares.

During the visit, it was observed that clearing and GPS land-leveling have been done with  on the 800 hectares of land with seeding ongoing, while irrigation channels have also been dug around the farm.

The General Manager of the Farm, Mr Bharat Dhir, who conducted the Governor round the Farm, said the seeding which commenced on the 23rd of last month, is to end on the 31st of this month, with the 800 hectares planted expected to yield 4,000 metric tons of Rice by October, this year.

According to him, all the drainages collecting water round the Farm have been channeled to a Central Collection Point from where it terminates in a nearby river.

This he noted, is to ensure that the Farm is not flooded no matter the volume of flood it experiences.

Meanwhile, earthwork on a 1.875 kilometre road leading to the farm has reached almost 70percent.

The Road Construction which had commenced in February, this year, is part of the Equity contribution of the State Government towards the Partnership.

Speaking after he inspected construction work on the road and the Farm, Governor Obiano said Coschars Farms is a key partner in the realisation of his administration’s dream of repositioning Agriculture to become a major foreign exchange earner for the state.

Governor Obiano who noted that through its strategic partnership with private investors in Rice Production, his Government aims to overturn the State’s Deficit in Rice Supply by ensuring sufficiency as well as generate surplus for export.

Expressing satisfaction with the level of work achieved so far on the farm and the Technology that had gone into its operations, Governor assured that his administration is committed to completing the access road before the rains fully set in to enable easy movement round the farm and the evacuation of its produce.

Also speaking, the Transition Chairman of the Council Area, Chief Paul Obiorah said the visible interventions of the Obiano administration in the Agricultural Sector has greatly impacted on the lives of Ayamelum people who are predominantly farmers, assuring him of the people’s support to his administration.

It is expected that the Farm will commence milling operation by November this year, as part of its earlier plans to build a Worldclass Rice Farm that will comparable to those in developed Countries of the World.

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