Asantehene goes into oil palm cultivation

The Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has secured a total of 330 parcels of land at Ofoase in the Asante Akim South District of the Ashanti region for the cultivation of oil palm.

The late Ofoasehene, Nana Tiefum Ameyaw II released the land to the Asantehene for the project and so far 220 acres out of the total land earmarked for the oil palm plantation has been cultivated.

A few days ago, the Asantehene spent over three hours inspecting the oil palm seedlings nursery to acquaint himself with the process of work.

Otumfuo said he had taken interest in agriculture to help promote oil palm plantation development in the country for both local consumption and for export.

Apart from that Otumfuo said it would offer the youth in the area a source of employment to enable them earn a decent living.

He urged the youth to develop keen interest in agriculture to help sustain national economic growth.

Otumfuo was accompanied by the Omanhene of Juaben Nana Otuo Siribuo who is also the consultant of the farm, the Mawerehene, Baffour Osei Hyiaman and the current chief of Ofoase, Nana Tietum Ampratwum II.

Otumfuo?s first visit to the oil plantation was in September 2004.

According to Nana Otuo Siribuo, there are 43 workers on the plantation to strengthen the viability of the project.

He said the remaining 110 acres of the land yet to be developed had now been given on contract and land preparation was in progress to facilitate the planting of seedlings during the rainy season.