Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nassarawa State
The four Chinese fertilizer blending companies sited in Nasarawa State are expected commence operations in the next 45 days, in efforts to meet up with farm season, it has been revealed.
As part of effort to revamp agriculture in the state, the state Governor, Umaru Tanko Almakura, wooed four Chinese investors to set up the fertilizer blending companies to ease availability and supply challenges to farmers.
Almakura who stated this on Wednesday, in Lafia, while conducting the Chinese investors round the dilapidated moribund fertilizer blending company in the state established since 2003, explained that all arrangements have been completed for them to commence operations in the next 45 days
“The companies will produce about forty tonnes per hour and the fertilizer type will be determined by the soil texture of the area. The companies will go round the three geopolitical zones of the state to take samples of soil for the purpose.
“We are hoping that in the next few weeks, the Chinese companies will commence production of fertilizer in the state so that we will be able to meet the fertilizer season for the year.
Almakura added that with the about 70 per cent of Nasarawa state populations being farmers, government will synergise with the faculty of agriculture at the state’s university to add value to the agriculture sector in the state.
The Dean Faculty of Agriculture, Nasrawa State University, Keffi, Dr. Muhammed Haruna, explained that their recent visit to Pakistan on the directive of the governor to study the advances being made in the field of agriculture is already yielding results, as for the first time in the history of the state, basmati rice production would soon commence.
Haruna stated that the procurement of fertilizer blending machines for the sole purpose of producing fertilizers at subsidised rates for local farmers will greatly address the problem of low yield recorded by farmers in the state.
As stated by him, it will also bring to the fore the full potentials of agricultural production in the state since due to low soil fertility and lack of access to fertilizer many farmers and communities have stopped growing certain crops particularly cereals.
Guardian