Jonglei state central nursery ready to sell seedlings-says local minister

September 9, 2012 (BOR) – The minister of Agriculture and Forestry in Jonglei state, Mayen Ngor, said Sunday that the Jonglei central nursery has thousands of seedlings for various trees ready to sale.

Ngor said the his ministry took the initiative for trees planting by rising seedlings in the nursery for local population to plant to counteract what he described as “riskless way of cutting the trees” in and around Bor. Teaks, Mango, Paw Paw, Cypress, tomatoes, cassava, rice, Lemon and Tartaric trees, among others are arranged in rows in the nursery bed.

Both charcoal burners and the increase in land being used influx of returnees and Internal Displaced People (IDPs) have reduced natural forest around Bor at a high rate according to the minister.

Deforestation, he said, can be addressed by planting trees around homes and around the streets in Bor.

The minister said that the Nursery will be used as a demonstrative farm for the students taking Agriculture and Forestry courses at the university.

According to the minister, each seedling costs three South Sudanese Pounds, a price he says is affordable to families with low incomes.

The minister said the state budget of 2012 included revenue, which is expected to be generated from the sale of seedlings.

Ngor estimated the government will bring in 50,000 South Sudanese Pounds (SSP) from the sale if the all the people are to turn up for buying.

He called up on the government stakeholders; UN agencies and women led organizations to come to buy seedlings.

“If you buy one mango tree at three Pounds, after 2 to 3 years, that tree will produce hundreds and when you sell them, you will make thousands”, he advised.

In a visited made by Sudan Tribune to the nursery, tomatoes, Paw Paw are almost ripen.

Tomatoes in the nursery green house look healthy with good signs fostering good harvest in few weeks to come.

The minister said the main goal of the nursery is to increase agriculture forestry production and productivity through intensification and diversification of the productions.

(ST)