…Bumper harvest expected in Kano, Yobe

Alhaji Faruk Rabi’u, the Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano state, has expressed optimism that the state would witness a bumper harvest this year. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that farmers in the state would record bumper harvest, especially in rice, sorghum and maize as well as […]

Alhaji Faruk Rabi’u, the Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) in Kano state, has expressed optimism that the state would witness a bumper harvest this year.

He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that farmers in the state would record bumper harvest, especially in rice, sorghum and maize as well as in other cash crops.

He noted that the steady rainfall experienced in most parts of the state since the commencement of the 2018 farming activities had contributed to rapid growth of the crops.

“At the beginning of the rainy season many farmers expressed fears over the late arrival of rain but when it stabilised, farmers began to express happiness.

“So I can say that we have not experienced drought spell in any part of the state this year, so we are expecting bumper harvest in all the crops across the state,” he said.

He also attributed the expected bumper harvest to the availability of fertiliser, which was sold to farmers at the subsidised rate of N5, 500 per bag.

“Kano state government has directed the state Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO) to produce and sell the commodity to farmers at N5, 500 per bag.

“This made it possible for local farmers to access the commodity, which used to be sold at N12,000 or even more in the open market,” Rabi’u said.

Also, some farmers in Yobe state have expressed optimism about the probability of recording bumper harvest this year.

They made their feelings known in an interview with a Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu, just as they commence harvesting of their produce.

Malam Abba Umar, a farmer in Damaturu, said that he had started harvesting, alongside other farmers at Sindiri village in the state.

“Some of us who commenced planting earlier than others are now harvesting, while those who planted late will wait a little while.

“The yields from the ongoing harvests are quite promising and unlike what happened last year, we are all celebrating,” he said.

Modu Mustapha, a civil servant who engages in subsistence farming in Katarko village, Yobe, said that the rains had been steady and good for the crops.

“The rain this year has been steady, unlike last year when most farms dried up because it stopped abruptly without the grains maturing.

“Last year, it was very bad for beans and groundnut farmers, as they recorded poor yield, but the signs are better this year,” he said.

Mustapha, however, appealed to the state government to provide farm inputs to farmers in good time, to boost production.

Kolo Gaji, another farmer based in Dapchi town of Bursari Local Government Area of the state, said that the steady rains had protected the crops from the menace of pests and insects.Millet, sorghum, rice, beans, groundnut and sesame seeds are the common crops cultivated across the state.