By Abubakar Sadiq Mohd, Zaria
Wheat farmers in Kaduna, Katsina and Kano states have received 1,035 metric tons of wheat seed and farm inputs from the federal government in order to reduce the cost of production and strengthen food security.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, who inaugurated the distribution of the seeds and inputs in Zaria, Kaduna State, said Kaduna received 350 bags of 100kg seeds while Kano and Katsina states received 500 bags of 100kg seeds each.
Earlier, the Desk Officer, Wheat Production and Value Chain, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Naphthali Telta, said the seeds would be accompanied with seed planters, moisture and PH meters. He said one of the critical challenges of wheat production is the high cost of production which has placed Nigerian wheat in a disadvantage to the imported one.
Telta said the federal government had decided to reduce the cost of wheat production so that Nigerian wheat can favourably compete with the imported wheat; hence the distribution of the free seeds and inputs, adding that government distributed Atila seed variety which farmers in Nigeria are more conversant with.
While speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, Chairman, Association of Wheat Farmers, Kaduna State, Alhaji Bashir Tanko, pledged efficient utilisation of the seeds and inputs, stressing that additional 350 wheat farmers would benefit from the initiative.
