THE Management of Firestone-Liberia has distributed a consignment of free rubber stumps to rubber farmers in Nimba County for this year’s planting season. The distribution exercises were held on Friday, September 2, 2011, in the towns of Saclepea and Graie respectively. Speaking during the distribution exercise, Superintendent Victor K.S. Wea of the Rubber Purchase Department of Firestone Liberia told the rubber farmers in Nimba County that for the past months, the Management of Firestone Liberia has been involved in the distribution of free rubber stumps to Liberian rubber farmers throughout the country.
Wea used the occasion to caution the farmers on how to plant and manage their respective farms to yield the required maximum result as well as benefit from the products of their individual farms. He pointed out that the Free Rubber Stumps Distribution Exercise is intended to help augment the efforts of Liberian rubber farmers across the country whose farms were damaged as result of the prolong absence of a replanting programme.
Speaking on behalf of the rubber farmers in Saclepea, Mr. David W. Queeglay, a prominent rubber farmer, expressed thanks and gratitude to the Management of Firestone Liberia for the level of support it is giving them in their rubber farming venture. In his moving address punctuated by applause, the outstanding Liberian rubber farmer repeatedly stressed the importance of farming as a lucrative venture. He urged his colleagues to continue to endeavor in farming; especially in the area of rubber farming adding, “There is a joy in farming, especially rubber.”
In remarks, one of the farmers, Mr. Morris Y. Yangean sounded an appeal to the Management of Firestone Liberia to open a nursery in Saclepea because of the huge number of farmers in the town and its surrounding communities.
Earlier, the Public Affairs Manager of Firestone Liberia, Mr. G. Rufus Karmorh, commended the rubber farmers of Nimba County, describing the county as a “strategic rubber belt in Liberia”.
The Public Affairs Boss further used the forum to highlight the construction of schools, housing facilities as well as other socio-economic developments being undertaken within the concession area by Management. He informed the farmers in Nimba County that the Management of Firestone Liberia is helping Liberian rubber farmers throughout the country in order to enable them resuscitate their damaged rubber farms.
Mr. Karmorh explained that to help build the Liberian rubber industry, the company since 2008 has distributed over 3 million free rubber stumps to Liberian farmers to help secure the future for thousands of families in the country. “This year the company will provide 700,000 free rubber stumps to Liberian farmers,” Karmorh informed the farmers.
He then urged the farmers to take good care of the high yielding stumps provided them by the Management of Firestone Liberia. He expressed hope that this year’s rubber stumps distribution like years back will be characterized by success and prosperity.
Following the presentation of the free rubber stumps to farmers in Saclepea, the Public Affairs and Rubber Purchase teams proceeded to the town of Graie, along the Tappita highway, where similar presentation and an interactive session took place. At Graie, members of the joint team were accorded a warm reception. The farmers praised Firestone for the interest it continues to show in the welfare of rubber farmers in the country.
Making remarks in Graie, Mr. Charles D. Ware, one of the rubber farmers, assured that they will live up to the partnership. He furthered that with the level of support the rubber farmers of Graie are receiving from the management of the company, residents of the town will continue to fully cooperate with Firestone Liberia in its quest to resuscitate the Liberian rubber industry to its pre-war status.
Mr. Ware then appealed to the Management of Firestone Liberia to organise periodic worships for farmers in order to enable them to gain some education relating to the planting and maintenance of rubber farms.
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