Farmers under the umbrella of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, AFAN, have decried the hike in the price of fertilisers by suppliers and other middlemen in the distribution chain.
The apex farmers’ body claimed the subsidy paid by the government did not reflect
on the price being sold to the final buyers, noting that the price was being hiked by
individuals while farmers were at the receiving end.
The National President of the association, Arc. Kabir Ibrahim, said it was high time the Federal Government took actions against suppliers who have inflated the price of the commodity, hence farmers encountering difficulties accessing and purchasing it.
He also called for proper monitoring of government policies and activities to avoid bottlenecks and sharp practices at all levels.
Ibrahim, who identified the major role the organisation played to revive the nation’s economy through the agricultural sector, noted that some of the interventions embarked upon included the National Policy for Nigeria workshop held in February, 2016, the National Agricultural show in April, the launch of Agricultural Promotion Policy amongst others.
The AFAN Chairman, Lagos State Chapter, Otunba Femi Oke believed that the
Agricultural Promotion Policy was a perfect policy because of its overall benefits to grass root farmers. He ascertained that the association was carried along through the entire process of the policy formulation, while the policy reflected the
best interests of the farmers.
However, the Chairman, Imo State Chapter of the Association, Hon. Eric Ogwo said the policy might not thrive if left to the government. He therefore urged the government to allow the policy to be private sector driven, as it is more likely to be more effective with the private sector overseeing its operations.
Also speaking, Director General, National Biotechnology Development Agency,
Prof. Mrs. Lucy Ogbadu admonished the stakeholders to embrace new technology that would improve yield of crops and increase income.