By HELEN ZULU? –

ISUBILO Palm Oil Cooperative has called for increased investment in palm oil production in Mwense District of Luapula Province to boost edible oils sustainability in the country.?Cooperative chairperson Alexander Chibiliti said the edible oils sub-sector remained unchallenged in terms of utilisation of its potential, especially in Mwense despite abundant resources.
Mr Chibiliti said increased investment and sustained productivity would help Zambia reduce the dependence on imported oils, while improving local market production.
“The production of palm oil is really helping us in many ways and there is potential for production of bio-fuel from the palm oil if an industry is established in the district.
There is need for more?investment in this area so that we can produce more for the district and for the country at large,” Mr Chibiliti said.
He said in an interview in Mwense that the lack of improved processing equipment had hampered full production for the group as farmers used traditional oil processing methods which limited quantity and quality produced.
Mr Chibiliti said low power voltage in the area had also negatively affected the pumping of required amount of water into reservoirs and the lack of seedlings had caused some farmers not be able to venture into the business.
The cooperative had a plantation of 35 hectares with a total number of 5,250 plants surviving in various fields around the reservoir.?According to the Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), a study indicated a local shortage of oil, hence the need for increased farmer participation in growing palm oil.
ZNFU president Evelyn Nguleka said the oil that the country generated from sunflower and soya beans was not enough to meet the local demand but this could be boosted from yields from palm oil, which was also a cheaper source.