Monrovia – Montserrado County Representative Edwin Snowe has called for the setting up of a special fund that will support local farmers who desire entering the oil palm industry.
Rep. Snowe made the assertion on the weekend when President Ellen Johnson toured the Pumah Farms owned and operated by Snowe outside Tubmanburg in Bomi County.
According to him developing such a fund would meaningfully encourage small scale investment in the oil palm sector, as farmers would have ready access to palm seedlings that are crucial to their entry into this important industry.
Snowe informed President Sirleaf and delegation that he receives hundreds of requests from locals wanting to participate in this sector, but observed that he is quite incapable of honoring this request.
He said this fund could be used to gather excess seedlings from larger farms for redistribution across the country. During the visit, Rep. Snowe presented 500 palm seedlings to President Sirleaf, who in return presented Rep Snowe a bag of clean rice produced from her farm.
The President thanked Rep. Snowe for the investment in the agricultural sector and urged other Liberians to follow this example. Rep. Snowe in return was full of praises for Ariland Bank for the level of support he enjoys from the bank. He said the bank’s support to him has enabled him to be of help to other small palm farmers in Liberia
He said working with the Afriland Bank he is on course to have a production facility in embarking on Palm Oil, and Kernel oil production, and soap making. He disclosed that already machines have been purchased from the United States to contribute to the expansion of the Palm farm to 1000 acres.
The Snowe Farm is currently a 500-acre palm farm facility In Bomi county, providing work opportunities for more than 150 persons.
