Bauchi Procures, Distributes over 100 Trucks of Fertilizer to Farmers

Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi

Bauchi State Government has flagged off the distribution of over 100 trucks of fertilizer to farmers across the state.

The state Governor, Senator Bala Mohammed, while flagging off the 2021 fertilizer distribution in Soro town of Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state yesterday, said the 50kg NPK 20-10-10 and Urea fertilizer were procured at the cost of N120million.

The governor said the measure was taken in order to ease the hardship of farmers, adding that a bag of 50kg NPK 20-10-10 fertilizer which was procured from dealers at N9,500 would be sold at N9000.

According to him, “My administration will continue to promote agricultural production in order to ensure food availability in the state, which will in turn ensure food security, because with the availability of food, hunger and poverty will be subdued.

“In order to make assorted fertilizer readily available for the real farmers across the state, the government has procured 100 trailers at the cost of over N120 million which will be sold directly to the farmers by the fertilizer company.”

Mohammed, who said some of the fertilizers were purchased from dealers in the state, noted that his government is working very hard to make impact on the lives of the citizens.

“We are ensuring that after the investments on infrastructure and services, we set aside 10 percent of our budget for the development of agriculture. We have really strived to establish a revolving fund for the purchase of fertilizer, but that has not worked and that is why we have entered into ISPO so that our fertilizer blending company will be self-sustaining, and we will be able to get money and do what is required,” he said.

While pointing out that the inability of farmers to access fertilizer and other farming inputs is capable of having negative effect on food security, the governor said his administration owed it a duty to provide the inputs to the farmers at affordable prices