Olam Agri To Bring Animal Feed Production Closer To South-South, South-East Farmers

Olam Agri has commenced the construction of a $70 million integrated feed mill in Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State, in a move aimed at bringing quality animal feed production closer to poultry farmers, aquaculture operators and livestock producers in the South-South and South-East regions.

The facility, when completed and operational in 2027, is expected to reduce the regions’ dependence on feed supplies transported from the South- West, improve supply chain efficiency and enhance access to quality animal feed.

The investment, which marks a significant expansion of the company’s animal feed operations in Nigeria, will feature a 1,500-tonne-per-day poultry feed mill, a 300-tonne-per-day aqua feed mill and 125,000-tonne silo bag storage capacity.

Olam Agri, a leading agribusiness operating across the food, feed and fibre value chains, is developing the facility on 99.99 hectares of land acquired in Ogwashi-Uku.

The project is strategically located to serve customers across the South- South and South-East, bringing production closer to farmers and other users while improving the availability of feed products and the company’s responsiveness to customer needs.

Speaking at the groundbreaking ceremony Amit Agarwal, Senior Vice President and Business Head of Integrated Feeds and Proteins, Olam Agri in Nigeria, said the investment reflected the company’s commitment to strengthening local production and building a resilient food system.

He said the development would expand the company’s production capabilities while supporting the productivity of livestock farmers and contributing to a more efficient and competitive livestock sector.

“At Olam Agri, we believe building a resilient food system requires a sustained investment in local production, infrastructure and the partnership that connects farmers’ businesses and consumers.

“The groundbreaking of our new Integrated Feed Mill reflects our confidence in Nigeria’s agricultural potential and our commitment to strengthening our capabilities across food and feed.

“By establishing production capacity closer to customers in the South- South and South-East, we aim to improve access to quality animal feed, support the productivity of livestock farmers and contribute to the development of a more efficient and competitive livestock sector,” Agarwal said.

He acknowledged the support of the Delta State Government, traditional institutions and other stakeholders in facilitating the project, adding that the company looked forward to working closely with the government, the Obi of Ogwashi-Uku and the host community to ensure the investment delivered meaningful and sustainable benefits.

Also speaking, Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, said the investment had the potential to stimulate economic activities, create employment opportunities and strengthen the livestock and agricultural value chains in the state.

He said his administration remained committed to creating an enabling environment for businesses, attracting credible investors and unlocking opportunities across the agricultural sector.

The Obi of Ogwashi-Uku, Obi Ifechukwudi Okonjo II, who welcomed the investment, expressed optimism that the project would create opportunities for the host community and the wider Delta State.

He stressed the importance of ensuring that residents of the community actively participated in the opportunities the investment would generate, while assuring the company of the traditional institution’s support.

In his remarks, Sharad Gupta, President and Global Head of Integrated Feed and Protein, Olam Agri, said the new facility aligned with the company’s renewed investment drive and would significantly expand its production capacity for poultry and aquaculture feed.

According to him, the investment would support the growth of the poultry and aquaculture sectors, improve supply chain efficiency and strengthen the availability of quality feed for livestock, poultry and aquaculture farmers.

He added that the development would contribute to boosting domestic animal protein production in Nigeria.

The investment also complements the Federal Government’s economic growth agenda, particularly its priorities on food security, access to protein, agricultural transformation, local manufacturing, employment creation and the development of domestic production capacity.

Olam Agri already operates animal feed mills, poultry breeding farms, a hatchery producing day-old chicks and a soy crushing facility in Nigeria.

The company recently introduced ruminant feed brands aimed at helping livestock farmers improve productivity and strengthen the country’s livestock value chain.

The new integrated feed mill further expands its investment footprint in Nigeria, as the country continues to pursue greater self-sufficiency in food production and strengthen domestic agricultural capacity.

Seyi Taiwo-Oguntuase is a visionary writer. She Writes on business and agricultural related issues among several other issues of national interest. She likes travelling and impacting on people who comes across her.

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