Benue to sell fertiliser below FG price, pegs bag at N4,000

The Benue State Executive Council has approved N4,000 for the sale of 50kg bag of all brands of fertiliser for the 2018 cropping season. The Commissioner for Information, Mr Lawrence Onoja, who disclosed this in Makurdi while briefing newsmen, said the SEC had ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to source for vendors that would supply […]

The Benue State Executive Council has approved N4,000 for the sale of 50kg bag of all brands of fertiliser for the 2018 cropping season.

The Commissioner for Information, Mr Lawrence Onoja, who disclosed this in Makurdi while briefing newsmen, said the SEC had ordered the Ministry of Agriculture to source for vendors that would supply the assorted inputs for the farmers in the state.

According to the commissioner, the state government would supply the fertilisers to the farmers at the cost of N4,000 each for 50kg bag of NPK, Urea, SSP and granulated organic fertiliser.

Daily Trust reports that the amount is below the N5,500 price of the Federal Government’s fertiliser per bag nationwide.

The News Agency of Nigeria also quoted the commissioner as saying that farmers would, however also pay N2,000 and N3,500 each per a litre of liquid organic fertiliser and plant health promoter respectively before redemption.

He added that the council had already approved N388.4 million for the payment of the subsidy component on fertiliser redeemed by farmers for the 2018 cropping season.

Onoja noted that the council also directed the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resource to source and enter into agreement with potential vendors for the supply of fertilisers.

He also said the SEC approved the procurement of 50 units of tractors at the cost of N13.9 million per tractor, noting that interested farmers will pay 40 per cent of the unit price of the tractor before collection and that government will pay 60 per cent subsidy per tractor.

The commissioner explained that the state government would issue a bank guarantee and make the 60 per cent down payment to the vendors for the supply of the 50 units of tractors.

The Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, James Anbua, confirmed the price to our correspondent in Makurdi but said the product is not yet available.

 He said the state executive council during its last meeting, approved the price of the fertiliser, adding that sales would begin as soon as the products are made available and flagged off by Governor Samuel Ortom.

 The commissioner noted that all farmers in the state would benefit from the subsidised rate.