Stop indiscriminate use of agro-chemicals, FG tells farmers, traders

The Federal Government has appealed to farmers and traders to stop the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals on food commodities due to the adverse effect on the people’s health and the country’s economy. Dr Umar Bello, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the appeal in Bauchi while addressing farmers and traders over […]

The Federal Government has appealed to farmers and traders to stop the indiscriminate use of agrochemicals on food commodities due to the adverse effect on the people’s health and the country’s economy.

Dr Umar Bello, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, made the appeal in Bauchi while addressing farmers and traders over indiscriminate use of agrochemicals in food production.

Bello said Nigeria’s agricultural commodities were being rejected in the international market due to poor quality arising from contaminations and health related matters.

“That results in upsurge in metabolic diseases amongst consumers in Nigeria and elsewhere,’’ he noted.

The permanent secretary, Bauchi State Ministry for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Bala Lukshi, said most farmers in the state were yet to sell thousands of bags of grains produced in 2018.

Lukshi said the grains could not be sold due to export restriction as a result of indiscriminate use of agrochemicals by farmers.