Gov Bala launches 2023 farming season, subsidizes NPK fertilizer at N15,000
Samuel Luka, Bauchi
Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi state has on Tuesday, launched the 2023 farming season in Azare town of Katagum local government area of the state.
The Governor while speaking during the flag off ceremony of this year’s farming season and sells of fertilizer, put the price of NPK fertilizer at the subsidized amount of N15,000 per 50kg bag.
The Governor also directed that interested Civil servants in the state are at liberty to request for the commodity on loan which can be deducted from the source.
He directed that the farming inputs be sold directly to the farmers to guard them against falling prey to shylock marketers.
According to the governor, adequate fertilizer and other farming implements have been made available to meet the growing demands of farmers across the state to ensure food sufficiency.
Bala Mohammed announced that N2 billion has been earmarked for the procurement of over two hundred trucks of NPK fertilizer for the 2023/2024 farming season.
The Governor who stated that NPK fertilizer is to be sold to farmers at N15,000 against the production cost of N17,800, maintained that the gesture was meant to ease the financial burden of farmers in accessing the commodity.
Bala Mohammed who directed the State Ministry of Agriculture to monitor all negative tendencies related to the sales and distribution process, expressed concerns that many farmers lacked the needed experience towards modern farming techniques.
The Governor said, efforts are being made to employ more extension workers to address such challenges for improved productivity.
In his welcoming address, state Commissioner of Agriculture, Barrister Jidauna Tula Mbami called on farmers to plant in line with the prediction of Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) which has predicted low rainfall in northeastern part of the country this year.
On his part, the State Chairman, All Farmers Association, Alhaji Yusuf Gambo commended the state government for subsidizing the amount of fertilizer and other farming inputs.
He pointed out that the gesture would go a long way in encouraging large scale farming across the state.