Farmers in Katsina State have continued to lament hike in the price of Federal Government fertilizer in the open market.
The farmers who are mostly peasants also expressed concern over delay in getting the commodity; leaving them to resort to locally sourced farm manures.
50 year old Abdullahi Lawal is a regular caller at the weekly market in Charanchi ; few kilometres from his village in
Bindawa Area Council in Katsina State.
Lawal has traveled the distance to buy the Federal Government fertilizer “NPK 20-10-10 ” at a subsidized price between N5,000 and N5,500.
Even when the price is boldly marked on the fertilizers; Lawal is compelled to buy the commodity as high as N7,600 per bag at the open market.
Lawal laments the situation; calling for a quick Intervention from the government.
Lawal is not however alone in this.
Another farmer, 35 year old Rabiu Musa from Batsari raised similar complaints about the price hike and lack of access to the commodity.
In Batagarawa, another farmer, 25 years old Rabiu Abubakar applies chicken droplets as manures for his crops.
A retailer in Bakiyawa Village, Yusuf Sani said he gets his supply of fertilizers from some “big shots” who normally sell to him at exorbitant price which he transfers at an even higher price to farmers for profits.
AIT investigation however reveals that the fertilizers are usually procured by some farmers’ associations and then distribute to their members who then resell the fertilizers to retailers to pay off their loans.
Read Also: FG to enforce new fertilizer law
Worried about the situation, the katsina State Government, through its Special Adviser on Agriculture and Natural Resources, Abba Abdullahi said, it has ordered 30 thousand metric tonnes of fertilizers.
The State Government said the fertilizers were delayed as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
It however assured that the products will be available soon and will be sold to the farmers at N4,000 per bag; thereby crashing the prices in the open market.
Editor:(Omor Bazuaye)
