Agricultural investments accounts for over 42% of the State economy.
The State has a total land size of 2.2 million hectares with three agro-ecological regions, 1.8 million hectares is arable and suitable for a variety of crops.
The current cultivation level is approximately below 35%, over 70% or 1.54 million hectares of land is still available for commercial agricultural activities. The State climate supports year round agro activities, with rainfall from March to November and spread evenly across the state.
There are extensive water bodies available for irrigation. Availability of about 18,000km2 of arable land for cultivation of cash crops such as Oil Palms, rubber, Cocoa, plantain, Rice, Cassava, Banana, etc.
There is an extensive irrigation facilities and rainfall for over 9 months in the year. The State is noted as being the only State in Nigeria with three climate belts.
Major opportunities available for investors amongst others are:
- Oil Palm
- Over 20,000 hectares available for palm plantation
- Bio – diesel production from oil palm
- Cocoa
- Current yield 40 – 50 thousand metric tonnes in the state but can be increased by more than 200% through the application of improved farm management practices and cultivation of over 150,000 hectares additional land area
- Other crops are
- Cassava: current level of 2.4m Mt per annum with potential for producing over 5million Mt. Per annum
- Rice: over 100,000 hectares of land available for commercial cultivation
- Maize: over 100,000 hectares available for commercial cultivation
- Pineapple: over 100,000 hectares of land available for commercial cultivation
- Livestock
- Poultry: high potential for commercial production of over 50 million poultry
- Piggery: high potential for commercial production of over 20 million Piggery
- Fisheries: high potential for commercial production of 1 million fisheries and canning
- Fertiliser production (Chemical and Organic)
- Processing and production of value added goods: such as Bio-fuel, glycerine, soap, cosmetics, food and beverages, etc.
- Production activities is supported by the EPZ and Port facilities in the state
- Investors have the opportunity to put in place structures for servicing domestic and international markets
- Export crop handling; Preservation and conditioning centre development
- Infrastructure for improving handling and packaging of fruits and vegetable
