Folukemi is a trained journalist, a writer, a social media…
Distribution of 25,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer to small, medium and large-scale farmers has begun in Katsina state.
The Special Adviser to the Katsina state governor on Agriculture, Abba Abdullah revealed the fertilizers worth 5.4 million Naira will be sold to every farmer who wishes to buy at the subsidized rate of N5,000 per bag.
The SA noted that two brands of fertilizer, namely Dan Lawal and Dan Buhari will be supplied to the farmers.
“It costs the state government N6,856 per bag to purchase Dan Lawal and N5,000 per bag for Dan Buhari. The government also spent N23,347,460 for loading, transport and offloading.”
“The last administration procured fertiliser at the cost of N7,800 per bag and by then, US dollar was exchanging at N197 to N200 and the procured fertiliser was sold to farmers at the cost of N2,500 but this government procured fertiliser at N6,856 for Dan Lawal.
“N5,000 for Dan Buhari at the dollar exchange rate of N370 to N380. Despite the escalation of the exchange rate, fertiliser was subsidised and sold at the cost of N5,000 per bag for all brands,” he said.
Abdullah revealed te Dan Buhari fertilizer produced in Funtua Local Government of the state was part of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI), adding that the brand is more compatible with the Katsina soil.
Speaking further, the SA said 133 bags were distributed to each polling units across the three senatorial zones of Katsina, Funtua and Daura respectively.
In a similar development, agro-dealers in Katsina state has bemoaned what they called ‘negligence’ of Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) in the state, accusing government officials of ‘foul play’.
Some of the dealers, who spoke with THISDAY anonymously, accused the current leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture in the state of edging them out to pave the way for government officials.
The agro-dealers in the state have also alleged that the ministry has either decimated or delisted them despite their ‘creditable’ performance in 2015 GES exercise as certified by the project.
“The success of the GES in Katsina State is now going to be a thing of the past as the new leadership of the ministry in the state has taken over the GES as a super agro-dealer by muzzling out the existing agro-dealers,” they alleged.
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Folukemi is a trained journalist, a writer, a social media enthusiast. She believes being happy and fulfilled is not a fairy tale and she is dedicated to helping others find theirs.