From Yakubu Mustapha, Minna.
Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) in Niger State has adopted new modalities for disbursement to every rice farmers interested in the CBN Anchor Borrowers Scheme for 2019 wet season farming.
The Chairman, Alhaji Idris Abini gave the directive while briefing newsmen in an interview after flagging- off the activities for this year’s cropping season in at Makunkele, Minna.
According to Abini, “all existing and new members wishing to participate in this year’s RIFAN CBN Anchor Borrowers Programme will make a compulsory 20% cash deposit of the total cost of input approved for every individuals”.
He added that any member found to engage in the sales of inputs given to them will be prosecuted and all depts. standing against them recovered, noted that those with outstanding loans for 2017/18 seasons will be required to settle them before they will be eligible for the new ones.
Abini reiterated that all inputs needed by the farmers for the season are already in the stores awaiting the completion of procedures to commence disbursement at various zonal centres in the state.
He further informed that those rice farmers interested in Rice Value Chain should come to register with the Association in order to fully support the government agricultural Programme for food security policy in the country.
RIFAN chairman emphasized that all those members indebted to any other bank in the country would not be eligible for new loans until such such debts are cleared..
