The organisers of the first planned international agricultural exhibition in Nigeria have said the project would create new inroad for farmers and job opportunities for over 600,000 persons in the country.
The Chairman of Global Exhibition and Business Services Limited, Dr Bawa Garba who disclosed this during a visit to the Media Trust Limited yesterday, said the exhibition which would attract over 106 companies from China, South Korea and Nigeria is expected to draw in over $1billion investment and 25,000 tractors valued N185billion.
Garba said that the exhibition which is the first in the country, would hold on May 7-15 inside the Kaduna International Trade Fair Centre.
He said already 81 Nigerian companies and 25 from China and South Korea have declared their interest in the programme.
“ECOWAS is a partner in this exhibition. Organisations contacted from Ukraine, Turkey, South Africa and Kenya has indicated their interest to participate,” Garba said.
He said 25,000 tractors valued N185bn would be made available to farmers in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory with Kano to have 2000 as the highest and Bayelsa with 200 as the lowest, adding that the tractors project is under Public Private Partnership arrangement.
He said the tractors would be leased to the farmers at the rate of N18,000 per tractor as against the present cost of N35,000, which he noted would help the farmers.
Garba said the interest shown by a Ukrainian firm to provide a preservation facility that would help the farmers in the storage of their produce for 11 months.
He also hinted that South Korean investors were ready to plough in $1 billion investment in Rice Milling in the country which would generate a workforce of over 356,000 just as a French firm want farmers in the country to produce large quantity of onions to be processed into powdered onions by the company.
He appealed to the management of Media Trust Limited to give the exhibition the maximum support with effective coverage of its activities.
