Farmers want FG to re-introduce NPK production

The Apex Fadama Farmers association of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Bauchi, Zamfara and Sokoto states has called on the federal government to re-introduce the production of NPK 15:15:15 brand of fertilizer for increased harvest. The call was contained in a communique issued in Kano by the state chairman of the association, Alhaji Umaru Muhammad Tsara, […]

The Apex Fadama Farmers association of Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Kebbi, Bauchi, Zamfara and Sokoto states has called on the federal government to re-introduce the production of NPK 15:15:15 brand of fertilizer for increased harvest.

The call was contained in a communique issued in Kano by the state chairman of the association, Alhaji Umaru Muhammad Tsara, following their meeting in Kaduna.

They said prior to the ban on NPK 15:15:15, farmers were using it as nursery fertilizer and getting great results in some crops.

“Farmers are using this brand of fertilizer as a nursery fertilizer which helps in increasing yield of crops such as rice, maize, tomato, onion and sorghum. We hope government would look into this issue and allow for the production of NPK 15:15:15,” the communique read in part.

It would be recalled that in 2016, the then minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, banned the use of 15:15:15 NPK fertilizer, saying “it does no good to any soil in the country.”

While appreciating the federal government subsidy on fertilizer, the farmers also appealed for further reduction in the price of the input from the current N5,500 to enable small scale farmers to benefit more from government agricultural programmes.

The farmers commended President Muhammadu Buhari for various agricultural programmes and assistance given to their members across the country.

They also congratulated the newly appointed Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Sabo Nanono, and wished him “a successful tenure that will be beneficial to small, medium and large scale farmers.”