Hadejia (Jigawa) – The Jigawa Government says it has received 1, 000 bags of improved seedlings from the Federal Government as part of efforts to boost wheat production in the country.
The state Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Kabiru Ali, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia on Monday that the Federal Government also provided grain thrashers, water pumps, and sprayers for distribution to irrigation farmers in the state.
He said that the gesture was part of government’s efforts at assisting farmers and promoting dry season cultivation of wheat and paddy rice.
“Minister of Agriculture Mr Audu Ogbeh was in Kano.
“He launched rice and wheat dry season programme in support of the value chain production of wheat and rice for dry season.
“We were only given 50 metric tons of seeds to distribute to farmers of Jigawa State. And the selling price was N3, 250 per bag of 50 kilogrammes.
“In addition, they gave us 130; three-inch water pumping machines and distributed accordingly to the wheat producing areas.”
Ali explained that the seedlings and other inputs will be sold to farmers at subsidised rates.
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“In addition, the Federal Government gave us multi-purpose thrashers, 50 units.
“And the pumping machine is highly subsidised at the cost of N12, 500 and the thrasher at N87, 500.
“That is the price given by the federal government.
“We also received 250 knapsack sprayers at the cost of N4, 800.’’
The commissioner said that the ministry had concluded arrangement to distribute the farming implements to farmer associations, whose members were engaged in wheat cultivation.
“We work with farmer associations to distribute the items in major wheat producing corridors in Hadejia, Dutse, Ringim, and Kazaure.
“The associations are advised to make payment for the items at the Federal Ministry of Agriculture office in Dutse for onward distribution to their members.”
According to him, the state government will also distribute fertiliser to farmers to augment the Federal Government’s contribution. (NAN)