News in brief: Bauchi and Gombe states are distributing subsidised fertilisers to farmers ahead of the rainy season, with prices significantly lower than the market rates. The intervention aims to enhance farmers’ access to inputs and boost agricultural productivity in the region.
Bauchi and Gombe states governments have begun distributing subsidised fertilisers to farmers in their regions. This moves comes as farmers begin gearing up for planting during the rainy season.
A report from a local newspaper indicates that the prices of the subsidised fertilisers are between â¦15,000 and â¦19,000 as against market price of â¦27,000.
Gombe state governor, Inuwa Yahaya, disclosed to newsmen that his administration spent over â¦2.8 billion to buy the fertilisers it is disbursing. According to market surveys, a 25kg bag of NPK 15-15-15 (Nitrogen, Phosphorous and Potassium), typically sell for â¦24,000 and â¦27,000 while the NPK 20-10-10 variant costs between â¦14,000 and â¦28,000. The cost of a 50kg bag of Urea brand fertilisers is about â¦21,000 and â¦25,000.
Beneficiaries lauded the governments’ efforts in assisting them with the intervention. They said that it would enhance access to the inputs while boosting productivity.
Bauchi and Gombe are neighboring states in the North Eastern part of the country and majority of residents there engage in the agriculture sector. Gombe is particularly known for producing sorghum, maize, groundnuts, millets, beans, rice and tomatoes.
The two states join other northern neighbours who have also begun disbursing subsidised fertilisers to farmers in a bid to address Nigeria’s food security challenge. However, it is important to remember that fertiliser subsidies are not new in Nigeria. In fact, the Buhari administration ran a Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) since December 2016 which disbursed 30 million bags in four years.
Yet, the national chairman of the Organic Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers Association of Nigeria (OFPSAN), Noel Keyen, called the PFI a failure because it failed to achieve its goal of improving food security and reduce burden on farmers.
It remains to be seen how state-level fertiliser subsidies will affect the agricultural sector as it hopes to address the major issue of middlemen hijacking well-meaning initiatives through accountability. Stay up-to-date with news about this developments by subscribing to our news letter and following us on social media.
