Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule has flagged off the sale of 930 metric tons of fertilizer at N5,000 per 50-kilogram bag for this year’s cropping season.
In his remark at the flag-off ceremony, the governor warned that NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer must not be sold above the government’s regulated price of N5,000 per bag in any part of the state.
He noted that his administration was determined to see that the state’s agricultural potentials was fully harnessed for the overall benefit of the people, so as to achieve economic prosperity and avert food crisis in the state.
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“This is why we remained resolute in our commitment to ensure that the current economic meltdown, occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic and its attendant effects on the economy, does not affect the prospects of the agricultural sector, which is the mainstay of the economy of Nasarawa State,” he stated.
Fertilizer use in Nigeria, though growing, is still very low, especially if considered in relation to the increasing need for food in the country.
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Nigerian governments have tried to stimulate fertilizer demand, grow the commercial fertilizer sector and lower fertilizer prices through various strategies, such as subsidies and extension coverage.
In addition to that, Governor Sule launched the free distribution of 990 metric tons of ruminant feed supplements, as well as 80 metric tons of mineral salt, provided by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to livestock farmers and pastoralists across the state.
According to the governor, recent statistics showed that 80 percent of the population of Nasarawa state were involved in one farming activity or another, with agriculture being a major source of labor and the most viable vehicle for ensuring food security.
