Kaduna commences sale of 20,492 metric tons of fertilizer to farmers

The Kaduna state government yesterday commenced the sale of 20,492 metric tons of fertilizer to farmers across the state, for this farming season.

Gov. Mukhtar Yero, who inaugurated the sales in Zangon Aya, said N2.4 billion was spent on the procurement of the commodity.

He said that farmers in the state would also benefit from fertiliser and other inputs under the Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GES).

“We have identified commercial agriculture as the sure means of providing food and jobs for our growing population in this country.

“There is urgent need for diversification of the economy as we can no longer rely solely on oil revenue,’’ he said.

The governor told the farmers that the fertiliser had been subsidised by 40 per cent.

According to him, NPK will be sold at N2,500 per bag, N2,400 for urea brand and N1, 960 for SSP.

He directed local government chairmen to ensure that the fertilizer gets to the farmers, adding that a monitoring team would take records of the distribution and sales in each area.

Also speaking, the Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Isaac Bodams said N89 million had been earmarked for the rehabilitation of existing irrigation schemes in the state.

Bodams said that N386 million has also been earmarked in this year’s budget for the purchase of tractors, which would be sold to farmers at 60 per cent subsidy.

In a remark, the state Chairman of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Mr. Danjuma Akuso, pledged that the fertilizer would be judiciously allocated to farmers.

Akuso said no bag of the commodity would be diverted, and warned those to benefit against reselling it to traders.

He said anyone found would be dealt with according to the law, while the government would seize the product from the traders. (NAN)