Bauchi State Governor Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed has performed the official launching of the 2021 rainfeed farming season and sells of fertilizer.
Speaking at the ceremony in Soro, Ganjuwa Local Government, Governor Bala said the need for agricultural inputs such as seed and fertilizer cannot be over emphasized.
Governor Bala who announced 9,000 and 11,000 Naira respectively as prices for NPK and Urea, said his administration vows to provide inputs to farmers in the State at affordable prices.
The Governor said the State Government has released the sum of one hundred and fifty million naira for the purchase of assorted grains to be sold to members of the general public at subsidized prices to cushion the effect of the inflation.
He said as a testimony of the commitment of his administration to the development of agricultural sector, his administration has secured a Bank Guarantee of one Billion Naira for the purchase of raw materials for 2021 fertilizer production by the State owned fertilizer company.
Governor Bala added that his administration is considering the allocation of ten percent of its annual budget to the sector in subsequent years in an effort to fully improve the agricultural sector which the state is endowed for economic diversification.
He said the State Government will not hesitate to deal with any person or group of persons found guilty of diverting the items or altering the approved prices.
On the launching of the 2021 rainfeed farming season, Governor Bala called on all to pray for adequate rainfall for agricultural production bumper harvest.
He said his administration will continue to prioritize the development of agricultural sector for food security and economic diversification as well as improvement agricultural production.
Governor Bala however revealed that his administration has expanded the sum of three hundred and eighteen million naira to train 1000 youths across the 20 Local Government Areas in different aspects of modern agricultural techniques.
Speakers at the ceremony appreciated the commitment of the administration of Governor Bala in supporting farmers to improve their production.
