UNIZIK don canvasses support for growing apples in Nigeria

A lecturer in the Department of Microbiology, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Ikechukwu Ojukwu, of the Department of Microbiology, has canvassed for support from interested individuals and groups to grow apples in large quantity in Nigeria.

Ojukwu, who made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Awka, said the abundance of apple in the country would curb importation.

The professor stated that if organisations and individuals engage in apple farming, there will not be need to be importing apples which comes from Ghana and Cameroon because they have the soil for growing apple.

He disclosed that he has a farm at Nnobi which he developed for the purpose of growing apple, attracting people from far and near to the farm to gain knowledge of how to start theirs.

Ojukwu, called on agricultural stakeholders at the federal, state and local government levels to support the effort, saying that there are enormous financial gains in it which will boost the nation’s GDP,” he said. (NAN)