FG Shortlists 1.3 Million Farmers For N600bn Interest Free Loan

– Blames Increase In Price Of Rice On Covid-19

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammed Sabo Nanono has said that the Federal Government had registered five million farmers through Global Positioning System
for the N600bn interest-free agric loan

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He said out of the five million farmers, about 1.3 million had already been shortlisted to benefit from the loan.

Nanono said the registration through GPS was to ensure genuineness of those to benefit from the interest free loan.

The minister said these in Kano in an interactive session with journalists.

Nanono according to a statement from the ministry on Monday attributed the increasing cost of local rice in the markets to many factors worsened by the COVID-19 Pandemic, which is a worldwide phenomenon.

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He said that the pandemic made transportation of goods and services almost impossible, while people resorted to panic buying not to hoard but to safeguard shortage.

Findings by THE WHISTLER showed that a bag of Nigeria rice hovers between N23,000 and N25,000 in major markets.

He also identifed increasing number of consumers of rice in the country due to the fact that rice is easy to use as a staple food.

The statement also explained that the N13bn allocated to the agriculture ministry was not meant for pest control spray only.

The minister in the statement said the funds will also be utilised to fight diseases such as the foot and mouth disease affecting cattle, sheep, donkeys, goats.

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Nanono said the exercise is to be carried out in twelve states which border neighbouring countries such as Niger, Chad, Cameroun and  Benin Republic.

The statement said the funds would also be used to address challenging conditions affecting poultry farmers and the  Sambora malady afflicting rice and maize products. 

He added that Rabies among dogs would also be fought beside the rehabilitation of abattoirs across the country.

The statement reads in part, ‘’Alhaji Sabo Nanono stressed that aerial spray to fight the incursion of quelea birds and grasshoppers is a daunting task. 

“The programme has since been completed in Borno, Taraba and Yobe States, while the exercise commences this week in Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara States.”

Reacting to the alleged outcry of farmers around the Sokoto, Zamfara axis that such spray measures do not usually reach the common man, Nanono in the statement said new measures put in place would ensure that such exercise reaches the common farmer in the rural areas.

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