ABUJA – The Federal Ministry of Agriculture on Thursday said it had commenced the training of farmers’ cooperatives in the country on the use of warehouse for storage of farm produce.
The Director of Cooperatives in the ministry, Dr Dickson Okoro, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
Okoro said that the warehouses would provide opportunity for farmers to dispose their produce profitably.
“The Ministry of Agriculture is already training cooperatives, particularly the big ones and the ministry is monitoring the committee coordinating the exercise to ensure its success.
“Farmers, who are producing have to know how to dispose of their produce profitably and the warehouse receipt system provides opportunity for them to do so,” he said.
He explained that the warehouse project would be replicated around the country, adding that farmers would identify locations close to them and were willing to receive their produce for safe keeping.
He said that receipts would be issued to the farmers on the value of produce deposited at the warehouse.
Okoro said the receipt could also allow the farmers access to loans from designated banks to assist them in funding their businesses.
He said it was the intention of the Federal Government that the warehouse system should be practiced by both private and public sectors to allow for healthy competition.
“ This system will not be monopolised by any individual; what we need is a healthy competition so that the farmers will have more chances to benefit from the services,” he added. (NAN)
