The Chairman of the Nigerian Association of Natural Rubber Producers, Processors and Marketers (NARP-MAN) in Cross River State, Mr. Umo Inamenti, stated that natural rubber could generate as much as ₦200 billion (₦1 = ₫32.06) per year for the state if it receives adequate government support and if farmers are given the freedom to operate in a favorable environment.
Inamenti emphasized that both state and federal governments should pay greater attention to the rubber industry to help boost the economy and reduce unemployment, especially at a time when Nigeria is facing major socio-economic challenges. He highlighted the importance of rubber as a strategic crop that can significantly contribute to national economic growth and value addition.
“If we can expand cultivation to 50,000 hectares within the next few years, we will drastically reduce rural-to-urban migration and generate around ₦200 billion in direct income annually for key industries—excluding additional value from by-products,” Inamenti explained.
According to him, since the oil boom era, government interest in rubber has sharply declined—even though it was once a major cash crop. Cross River State, once heavily dependent on rubber, now has fewer than 10,000 hectares of productive plantations due to the overwhelming focus on oil.
He therefore urged that rubber development be included in the 2024 state budget, and called on the federal government to introduce a clear policy framework to revitalize the sector—by allocating at least 100,000 hectares of land for rubber cultivation.