Farmers laud Tinubu’s removal of import taxes on food

Farmers’ associations have commended President Bola Tinubu’s address on the ongoing nationwide protests as it affects food security as they called for a speedy implementation of the promises to curb inflation.

The association leaders spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in response to Tinubu’s address on Sunday over the ongoing nationwide protest.

The protest with the hashtag #EndBadGovernanceinNigeria is planned to end on 10 August.

It is aimed at calling the Federal Government’s attention to the economic hardship being faced by Nigerians.

NAN reports that President Tinubu in the nationwide address disclosed that he had ordered the importation of mechanised farming equipment as part of his administration’s efforts to boost food production and curb the prevailing hardship in the country.

He said the move was part of the government’s incentives to farmers to increase food production at affordable prices.

The President added that the Federal Government was planning to cultivate more than 10 million hectares of land to grow what Nigerians eat.

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Reacting to the broadcast, Dr Femi Oke, the South-West Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, described the President’s actions in ensuring food security as the right step in the right direction.

“The nationwide address of President Bola Tinubu and his promises to boost food security is a good step in the right direction.

“We are first grateful for the relief of taxes on importation of some essential food commodities, especially rice.

“We believe if there are no import taxes on the these commodities, definitely their prices will surely come down. There is no doubt about this.

“The ongoing hunger protest is mainly as a result of the food crisis. The investment in mechanised farming equipment to boost food security as disclosed in the President’s speech is the way forward.

“Not many of our local farmers can afford mechanised farming, so if the government now decides to import these farm machinery to give to the farmers either at subsidised rate or in partnership, definitely this will boost food production.

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“This in turn will reduce the food inflation and crisis in the country. This President’s promises on agriculture is a very good development,” Oke said.

On his part, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, the Chairman Poultry Association of Nigeria, Lagos State chapter, called for adequate implementation of the policies and interventions.

“If the promises in the President’s address to the nation can be implemented, it is going to go a long way in helping the situation at hand.

“The promises in the President’s speech as regards agriculture mechanisation should be followed with immediate action and implementation.

“These mechanised equipment and inputs for local farmers should go to the right hands. They should not be hoarded or resold.

“President Tinubu should be commended on his agriculture policies so far, it is just that a lot of people are sabotaging his efforts.

“Most of the Federal Government’s palliatives have been falling on the wrong hands.

“If these promises are implemented and they get to the grassroots, it will be beneficial to the agriculture sector and help food security,” Iyiola said.

Also speaking, Mr Omotunde Banjoko,an agriculture analyst, commended the initiatives of the Federal Government to boost food security.

Banjoko said the President’s speech and promises as regards food security was the way forward for the sector.

He, however, called for prompt implementation of the the promises for effective result.

“The mechanisation project for the agriculture sector did not start with this administration, it has been ongoing for three years now.

“We only pray that the equipment will arrive and that when they arrive they should be distributed to the real farmers and not to political affiliates to give to their loyalists.

“The distribution should be transparent and fair. It should not follow the pattern of the rice palliatives where the produce was being rebagged and sold in the market.

“These equipment should be given at a cheaper rate to those concerned so they can produce food in large quantity.

“The issues of the tax removal from some food imports is a welcome development though we should be careful with importation, so as not to cripple local cultivation in the long term.

“We must not discourage local food cultivation,” Banjoko said.