Govt extends deadline for supply of fertiliser for 2010 farming season

THE Federal Government has approved a 45-day extension for contractors supplying it fertiliser for the 2010 farming season, to execute the contract.

The new deadline to supply the fertiliser is April 14, instead of the original February 20, 2011.

Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs. Fatima Bamidele, told the News Agency of Nigeria, yesterday, in Abuja, that the extension came on the heels of requests by the contractors who explained hurdles they had to clear.

“We realise that the supplies they have made is less than 50 per cent for the farming season; so we had to take a decision whether to stop the supplies or allow it to continue, but obviously because we want the Nigerian farmers to benefit, we had to allow them to continue.

“They had problems of funding, problems of clearing their goods, problems of transporting it there, and this is in a bid to support our local contractors because we found out that the capacity is a bit low in carrying out this work; so the minister graciously approved extension of 45 days.

Bamidele allayed the fear that the extension would affect the supply for the 2011 farming season, stressing that there was fertiliser in store in excess of what the farmers required for the 2011 farming season.

“What we have will last 2011 and part of 2012. We are not short at all and this will not affect any of the seasons. Any of the states that want more fertiliser can now apply,” she said.

She noted that improved productivity in agriculture and attainment of food security was one of the cardinal objectives of President Goodluck Jonathan and this could only be achieved through effective delivery of quality input, mostly fertilisers to farmers at affordable price.

She said: “Currently, Nigeria is among the lowest users of fertilisers globally with average rate of 13kg per hectare, which is around 10 per cent of global average.

“Government has resolved to achieve more than 50kg per hectare by 2015 for the sector to sustain the projected growth in the economy as enshrined in the African Fertiliser Summit Resolution of 2006.”

Source : Guardian