Cassava Farmers in OkeOgun area of Oyo State have substantiated reasons that orchestrated their current stance and refusal to sell cassava produce to local processor Psaltry International Company Limited in Ado Awaye.
Speaking with news men in Ado Awaye the farmers stated that their reluctance to partner with the Agro-allied Cassava Processing Company was consequent upon delayed payments, lack of transparency in weighing system and no traceable benefits for both community and its indigenes among others.
In their separate grievances, Adeniyi Rafiu Adekunle, an Indigene of Ado Awaye affirmed that they are not longer selling Cassava to the company, because its Chief Executive Officer, Mrs Yemisi Iranloye had formed the habit of delaying payments after the sales of cassava, failed to maintain openness and and has not attracted any benefit to the community since the company was established.
While in a memory lane, Adekunle narrated that he began with the company since inception,as a Psaltry Out-Grower while Memorandum of Understanding, MOU which all that were dealing with company signed, had cemented their relationship with neither rancour nor complaint from any quarters.
He hinted that they got cash payments immediately after the sales of produce, noting that cash payments got into extinction with the introduction of the banking system while all got their money via transfers as at when due.
Adekunle lamented that , it became their surprise that they could not get their money instantly as they had to wait for about 15 days, 30 days and 6 months before money could be paid.
He justified that, their reasons for selling the cassava to outsiders are centred on fact that, many of them who are mechanised farmers are seeking loans from sources which repayments should not be delayed, many hired services of labourers with both immediate and yearly remuneration, and other unavoidable conditions that are attached to the business.
Rahman Rasheed Aremu foldy called ‘Okin’ also an Indigene of Ado Awaye and a lame could not control his weeping while speaking with news men.
He lamented that the company has turned his life from grace to grass, adding that the sum of N11M which he used as a capital base to run the business had not been paid promptly after the sales of cassava.
Revealing that, it was his sadness that the woman allegedly paid the money ridiculously to the extent that he could not point to any reasonable project out of N5M paid from the N11M. He said that he became so disheartened that the woman had ruined his life, to the extent he had eventually become a motor boy to Dyna motor loading cassava across all farms.
Samuel Adeola, a graduate noted that people decide not to sell to the company again, because it cannot process the total tons of cassava that the community produces daily, the company has defaulted many people including him with N9M, and the woman in charge is no longer trustworthy.
He recalled that he was once a staff in the company and was not paid for complete six months he however lamented that he was forced to return to farm while she failed to pay as at when due
Olugbile Kabiru expressed his disappointment, sadness and heartbreaking, that despite the fact he had an accident when supplying cassava to the company, the woman cannot pay him the sum of N1.2M till date.
Niyi Oyetunji Babalawo said the woman would need to settle him with N40M that belongs to people who supplied him the cassava sold to the company, saying that he has sold properties and his farm produce to settle parts of the debt, calling on Oyo State Government to intervene on this life threatening matter.
Oyeniyi Amidu known as Adeyemi Alaago and Raheem Adijat also recounted their losses while dealing with the company, Adijat said the company owes her over N10M and while Alaago would be settled with over N5M respectively.
The farmers also claimed that the company has also set up his cassava farm and not engaging any of the local farmers in the operation.
They however called on the Oyo State Government to rescind its decisions on planned measures to curtail farmers who are selling produce outside the state adding that they are not deliberately doing that but the company is cleverly playing upon their intelligence.
They also tasked the government not to give priority to only Psaltry International Company Limited on a good road network, saying actions should be expedited on farm roads which give stress to motorists before transporting produce to towns.
Psaltry International Company Limited established since 2010 is located in Ado-Awaye, Iseyin Local Government Oyo State, adjudged to be the leading agro-allied cassava processing in Africa that produces cassava based sorbitol and other products.
As at the time of filing the report efforts were made to reach out to the company but proved abortive as none of the staff contacted are unwilling to talk and the CEO was also not available for response.
