Farmers caught up as FG battles fertilizer coy

Early this year, the Federal Government in attempt to curtail insurgency in the north-east, introduced stringent policy on urea fertilizer distribution in the country. According to the office of the National Security Adviser, the restriction was placed because Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by insurgents in the country were developed mainly from certain grades of […]

Early this year, the Federal Government in attempt to curtail insurgency in the north-east, introduced stringent policy on urea fertilizer distribution in the country.
According to the office of the National Security Adviser, the restriction was placed because Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) used by insurgents in the country were developed mainly from certain grades of fertilizer which contained nitrate using Urea Nitrate.
That policy created huge scarcity in the markets across the north and raised the prices of fertilizer almost by 100%, leaving many farmers unable to buy- a situation that may lead to poor harvest this year.
At the moment, urea is sold at N10,000 compared to N5,000 sold last year, and many smallholder farmers can’t afford it. For those who can afford, accessibility is an issue.
Notore Chemical Company and Indorama Eleme Fertiliser & Chemicals Ltd-all based in Port Harcourt, River State, are the major producers of high grade urea fertilizer in Nigeria.
The National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno recently stated that, “The cumulative annual production of the two companies is estimated at 2.5 million metric tonnes, while Nigeria’s estimated consumption rate is 1.1 million metric tonnes, which is 53 percent of production,” adding that they were exporting 71% of their products. 
Some analysts believed the federal government, with this policy, set the stage for the current problems farmers face in accessing urea fertilizer in the country. They argued that the policy will in a way, encourage producers to look elsewhere for the market of their product since the market at home is highly restricted.
The Chief Operations Officer (COO) of Notore Petrochemical, Appolo Goma, stated that export has also become necessary “because demands in local markets reduce significantly.”
Dr. Jossy Nkwocha, Head Corporate Communications, Indorama however sees the NSA statement as misleading, saying “all our domestic supplies to costumers so far are done in accordance with the approval of the Office of the National Security Adviser and Farm Input and Supply Service FISS of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.”
 Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, also in a press statement in Abuja, issued strong warning to shut down any fertiliser plant that denies local farmers access while exporting the same commodities. 
“Two urea plants are big enough to run the Nigerian demands. We know their capacities. But where there are allegations that some people are exporting instead of putting in the Nigerian market, and prices shot to N10,000 per bag of urea, we became extremely angry with them,” he said.