The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) has said that indiscriminate selling of Benue oranges outside the state could jeopardise the Bensono Concentrate Factory and other processing facilities established by the Benue State Government, as there would be no raw materials to feed the factories.
The Managing Director of BIPC, Dr. Raymond Asemakaha told the Benue Orange farmers that Benue has made significant investments in citrus processing and can no longer afford the continued export of raw produce while industries within the state are starved of inputs.
He also encouraged that,_“The era of exporting our wealth in its raw form is over. Our priority is to create jobs, add value to our agricultural produce and build a sustainable industrial economy for Benue people. Every orange processed in Benue translates into employment opportunities, increased income for farmers and greater economic prosperity for the state,”_ he said.
He assured citrus farmers of a guaranteed market for their produce and urged them to supply their harvest directly to the Bensono Concentrate Factory at competitive prices.
He further called on traditional rulers, local government authorities, security agencies and community leaders to support the encouragement of the directive, stressing that protecting local industries is a collective responsibility.
Dr. Asemakaha reaffirmed BIPC’s commitment to implementing the industrialization agenda of *His Excellency, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia*, Governor of Benue State, adding that the government remains focused on ensuring that Benue’s abundant agricultural resources are processed locally to create wealth, generate employment and accelerate economic development.
