Edo farmers seek direct sale of fertilizers

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) yesterday appealed to the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to ensure that fertilizers from the state owned fertilizer plant were sold directly to farmers in the state.

Coordinator of AFAN in Edo North, Abdullahi Oshiobugie, made the appeal in an interview with journalists in Benin City, the state capital.

Oshiobugie said the appeal became necessary so that farmers do not suffer unjustly with the activity of middlemen in form of high prices for the product.

He said since the plant has commenced production and in as much as the farmers want the government and the investors to make profit from the plant, it however, should not be at the expense of the Edo farmers.

“If the government deems it necessary to have distributors for the product, then the farmers should be involved in the process in order to check activities of these middlemen.

“Our experience in the past in addition to the current happening in the petroleum sector, also suggest that government must guide against hoarding of the product with the aim of increasing the price by the middlemen.

“Why we remain grateful to the government for seeing to it that the plant has finally commenced production after its inauguration by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, we want the product nor only to be available to farmers, but at the controlled price,” he stated.

Oshiobugie also appealed to the government to assist the farmers in the area of land preparation, as well as making farm implements available to them at cheaper rate.

He noted that when this is done, prices of foodstuff would not only crash, but would also ensure bumper harvest.