As part of efforts geared towards improving the University’s ranking as a World Bank Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Development and Sustainable Environment, as well as increase its internally generated revenue, the institution’s Oil-Palm Mill has commenced operations. This piece of information was disclosed by the Principal Farm Manager, Tree Crops Plantation, Mr. Oluseye Ogunlami, in an interview with *FUNAAB Bulletin*.
Mr. Ogunlami said the University had been involved in oil-palm production since 2008 using locations outside the University, such as at farm estates in Ado-Odo and Elere Adubi, respectively. The Principal Farm Manager explained that the plantation, which started with six Hectares, had grown into about 73 Hectares of oil-palm and that quality palm-oil are now being produced from the mill which started in April 2014.

Mr. Ogunlami stated that the commercial benefits of palm-tree were enormous and include fruit bunches, palm kernel, palm kernel oil, palm kernel cake, leaves, brooms, among others. He said that the palm-oil were available to members of the University community at pocket friendly prices of 5-Litre at N1,400; 10-Litre keg at N2,600 and 25 Litre keg at N6,200 even as the Unit now has a Tree Crop Nursery where it could raise annually seedlings of oil palm, cocoa or cashew.

He pointed out that the Tree Crops Plantation Unit of the Directorate of University Farms can also raise a number of other seedlings for interested customers based on demand, while it also offers professional services in terms of technicalities that are involved in establishing a plantation. Mr. Ogunlami added that funding of the mill would ensure optimum performance and more revenue to the University because an oil-palm can continue to produce in the next 30 years while the yield would be increasing with the years.