CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background To The Study
The processing of Palm fruit is the most important processing activity carried on in Nigeria and it is geared towards accelerating economic development Armstrong, R. (2010). The end products, Palm Oil and palm kernels, have traditionally composed 15 to 20 per cent of Nigeria's exports as their combined value was £40 million years back. In addition, palm fruit which is processed into palm oil is an important item in the Nigerian diet (as part of the traditional soup or sauce) and is used as an illuminant, cooking fat, and soap ingredient Chukwu, A.O (2011). Implicit production estimates based on marketing board purchases of palm kernels, for which there is little domestic use, indicate that internal consumption ranges from 80 to 150 per cent of exports.
Palm fruit is one of the most important economic oil crops in Nigeria. According to World Rain-forest Movement, palm fruit is indigenous to the Nigerian coastal plain though it has migrated inland as a staple crop. Cultivation of it serves as a means of livelihood for many rural families and indeed the farming culture of millions of people in the country thereby contributing to the GDP of the nation. The reference to palm fruit as a crop of multiple value underscores its economic importance Carrere, T. R. (2001).
