By Amina Abdullahi Girbo
Bauchi State Government has committed the sum of N2b to the production of assorted fertilizers to be sold to farmers in the state for the 2023 farming price.
The announcement was made by the State Governor, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir while officially flagging off the 2023 farming season at the BSADP Zonal office in Azare on Tuesday.
He further announced that the government has begged the cost of the commodity, particularly NPK popularly called ‘Yar Bauchi’ to the sum of N15,000 as against the production cost of N17,800 explaining that the government is subsidising N2,800 for each bag.
Bala Mohammed also encouraged civil servants who want to go into farming to approach the Bauchi State Agricultural Supply Company (BASAC) to arrange for getting fertilizer and other farm inputs on loan which they will pay back at the end of the farming season.
The Governor assured that there is enough fertilizer to go around the farmers across the state as the government has already procured 200 trailers of NPK which will be sold.
According to him, “I have never missed the farming season and animal vaccination for a single year since my assumption of office as Governor in 2019. This is a testimony of our commitment towards improving crops and animal production. The consistency of having this ceremony is a clear manifestation of the desire of our government to reinvigorate the agricultural sector.”
The Governor added that his administration will concentrate on infrastructural development across the state for the good of the people “irrespective of whether they voted for us or not. It is their right for us to serve them. As you know, Agriculture is the mainstay of the state.”
He however expressed displeasure with the agricultural output in the state yearly charing the BASDP, Ministry of Agriculture and other agricultural agencies to embark on sensitization of farmers across the state on the modern methods of Agriculture in order to boost their production.
The Governor said that everything possible has been done to ensure that the State-owned fertilizer blending plant is produced optimally to meet the demand of the people as well as supply to neighbouring states.
Earlier, the State Commissioner of Agriculture, Jidauna Tula Mbami said that the government has made fertilizer readily available for farmers in the state for a bumper harvest during the 2023 farming season.
The Commissioner added that government is ever ready to promote food production across the state for food security.
