The Psaltry Cassava Growers Association of Oyo State has rallied behind Psaltry International Limited, the foremost cassava processing company in Africa, based in Ado-Awaye, Iseyin Local Government, condemning a recent media publication aimed at tarnishing the company’s reputation.
The state Chairman of the association, Alhaji Sulaimon Kehinde described the allegations as a malicious attempt by business rivals to undermine Psaltry’s global achievements in cassava processing.
In his reaction to a publication in an online newspaper (name withheld) on Thursday 7th November, 2024 titled “Exclusive: Why We Are No Longer Selling Cassava to Psaltry – Oke Ogun Cassava Farmers,” the Chairman, Cassava Out-Growers Association of Oyo State, Alhaji Sulaimon Kehinde on Friday described the publication as the handiwork of business rivals, threatened by the global achievements of the company.
Alhaji Sulaimon who spoke with newsmen along with the Baale Alayide of Ayide Village where the company is situated, Alhaji Gazali Alayide, told newsmen that the defiant farmers were used by some groups that export cassava and saw the processing company as a threat.
According to him, Psaltry started its operation at Ayide village by providing farm inputs and free lands, incorporated the cassava out-growers into a group to access loans for cultivation which the company collected back for processing and paid back under a memorandum of understanding (M.O.U), which has subsisted till date.
“The company is not bothered about the fruitless efforts of some people to tarnish the good image of Psaltry International Company Limited through such gutter journalism, whereby they engaged a journalist without respect for the tenets of media to publish a one-sided report.
“The good image of Psaltry company across Africa as the foremost cassava processing plant did not just start today, the management started by empowering farmers with lands and inputs, while providing avenue for us to access loans for our farming activities with the hindsight that our produce would have a depositing point in their facility for processing. Today, some of the farmers reneged on their loan payment agreements with the banks and the company is currently repaying banks to the tune of over N200million.
“Some of these individuals are the ones being used by some new companies that export cassava to foreign countries, not minding the impacts on the Nigerian economy and the people of Nigeria that are already groaning under the present recession.
“We call on Nigerians and stakeholders across the world in our efforts to build country less dependent on oil to disregard such stories paid for by individuals that cannot equal the stride of Psaltry across Africa and the world.”
Kehinde said his body has a pleasant and robust relationship with the company, and that those mentioned in the said publication were not members of his association.
He claimed that recently, some individuals started entering farms to buy off cassava meant for Psaltry processing plant and taken same outside the country, which he said allowed most of the farmers renege on the agreement made with the banks and the company.
Alhaji Sulaimon further disclosed that, his association remained in support of the company for its efforts so far to build farmers and farming activities in Oke-Ogun and Ibarapa areas of Oyo State.
“I can tell you that those behind this are competitors who don’t farm but give some people money to go into rural farms and buy for peanuts because they see some of the farmers as in dire need of money.
“It is unfortunate that those sent by these people now go to farmers at Alayide and pack up to 70 and 80 trailers daily from our abode in Alayide which we have recently resisted because it has led to our members selling cheaply to them and defaulting to the banks.”
He asserted that despite the attack on Psaltry, it has gone into record as an indigenous company that gave cassava a global reckoning among farm products in Nigeria.
The traditional Chief of Alayide village, Alhaji Gazali Alayide said he was surprised to hear that some people could gang up against a company that has done so much for the people of the village, Ado Awaye and Iseyin community, as well as the cassava growers.
Gazali noted that apart from providing portable water for as many as eleven communities around the processing facility, Psaltry International connected them to the national grid for free, facilitated the construction of seven kilometers Alayide road and created jobs for their children.
“I was taken aback to hear of the said publication, but I remembered that such is human nature, those that create means for others to grow are often colluded against by the modern day ‘Judas.
“I just want to urge Mrs Yemisi Iranloye, the CEO of Psaltry, not to be deterred by such campaign of calumny by those with intention to bring down the company and humanity.”
