‘Farmers will benefit from quick budget implementation’

Farmers who spoke with Daily Trust said the late distribution of fertiliser was impacting negatively on their crops, leading to low farm yield. Danladi Madaki, a farmer in Karu, said: “If fertiliser comes late, there is absolutely very little you can do to get good yield, which is why getting it early is better.” “We […]

Farmers who spoke with Daily Trust said the late distribution of fertiliser was impacting negatively on their crops, leading to low farm yield.
Danladi Madaki, a farmer in Karu, said: “If fertiliser comes late, there is absolutely very little you can do to get good yield, which is why getting it early is better.”
“We are just suffering,” a farmer who preferred to remain anonymous said, adding: “If you want to produce something tangible, you must go to the market to buy inputs, if you wait for government, you will farm late.
John Abari, a fish farmer in Dutse Bokuma, stressed: “Whatever it is, agric budget should be the topmost priority of government and should be considered for approval first before anything. Funds should be released as soon as possible to meet farmers’ needs before the beginning of planting season.”
This feeling was also echoed by the President, National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTTAN), Alhaji Suleiman Abdullahi, when he led cotton farmers to the minister for agriculture Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, in Abuja.
Responding to the issue of late distribution of fertiliser, Adesina attributed it to late approval and release of budget adding that government is taking adequate steps to address the issue.
With general elections billed to hold early next year, some stakeholders, including AFAN, have expressed their worries that the budget may suffer the same fate as this year’s and worsen the situation of farmers.