Local Processing, More Jobs: BIPC Warns Against Orange Exports

By Dooshima Terkura, Makurdi

The Benue Investment and Property Company Limited (BIPC) has appealed to orange farmers in the state to stop the indiscriminate movement and sale of oranges outside Benue, warning that the practice threatens the state’s agro-industrial transformation agenda.

The Group Managing Director of BIPC, Dr. Raymond Asemakaha, said taking raw oranges out of the state would undermine the steady supply of raw materials needed by the Bensono Concentrate Factory and other processing facilities established by the Benue State Government. He noted that the state has invested heavily in citrus processing and can no longer afford to export raw produce while local industries face shortages of essential inputs.
According to Asemakaha, the state’s focus is on creating jobs, adding value to agricultural produce and building a sustainable industrial economy. He stressed that every orange processed within Benue generates employment opportunities, improves farmers’ incomes and contributes to the state’s economic prosperity.
He assured citrus farmers of a ready market for their produce at competitive prices through the Bensono Concentrate Factory and called on traditional rulers, local government authorities, security agencies and community leaders to support the initiative. Asemakaha reaffirmed BIPC’s commitment to Governor Hyacinth Alia’s industrialisation agenda, emphasizing that processing Benue’s agricultural resources locally remains key to wealth creation, employment generation and economic development.