4th Nov 2014 10:00
LONDON (Alliance News) - Equatorial Palm Oil PLC Tuesday said there have been no instances of the Ebola virus at its operations in Liberia and the company continues to operate as normal, but it has nearly halved its planting target for oil palms for the full year due to restrictions on movements in the country.
The company said that there has been no instances of Ebola on or around its operations in Liberia, with 1,500 staff, 12 of which are expatriate workers, remaining in the country to continue to work.
"Our employees are our most significant asset and it is testament to their dedication that our operations at our estates continue as best we can," said Executive Director Geoffrey Brown.
Equatorial has introduced a number of preventative and precautionary measures at all of its sites in Liberia in accordance with government guidelines, including establishing hand sterilisation points, checking the temperature of staff and visitors on site and equipping its clinics with protective gear for screening potential patients, it said in a statement.
"Ebola is without doubt a horrific virus. But it is a virus that with the right understanding, precautions and processes in place should be avoidable and containable," said Brown.
The company continues to operate in Liberia, except that it is not easy to travel due to official check points where people are being screened for the virus, it said.
Equatorial plans to plant up to 2,500 hectares of oil palm by the end of 2014, lower than the company's original target for the year. In April, Equatorial stated it aimed to plant 4,000 hectares or more each year, but believes its revised target "will be a considerable effort given the Ebola challenges faced by our staff in Liberia."
"The directors believe 2015 will be a transitional year for the Liberian operations as the Palm Bay estate will move from previously planted areas of oil palms to new expansion areas," said the company in a statement.
Equatorial shares were down 2.4% to 5.00 pence per share Tuesday morning.
By Joshua Warner; [email protected]; @JoshAlliance
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