FG - Insecurity forcing up price of fertiliser

The Federal Government says the current hike in price of fertiliser is as a result of security concerns as criminal elements are using its components to make bombs and other explosives.

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe stated this on Tuesday in Abuja at a Special Town Hall Meeting for Youths organised by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

The minister said that fertiliser being sold for N10,000 per bag was because the security agencies placed hold on its distribution.

“Fertiliser came late this year due to security challenges.

“We started moving fertiliser in February to meet up with the farming season but the national security agency stop us from moving it.

“Over 400 trailer loads of fertilisers were held down in Lokoja for two months because Boko haram were converting urea among other fertilizer component to make bombs.

“ It took two and half months to get arrangement from security agencies to escort fertilisers from the factories to the farms.

“We were cut between security problems and food security for the people,’’ he said.

The minister said that the delay in accessibility of the product led to hike in price.

He, however assured farmers that the price will reduce to less than N5,000 in the next planting season as arrangements were being made for transportation by rail.

Ogbe said that the federal government has also signed agreement with the Moroccan government for supply of phosphate and potassium for fertilizer production.

He said the agreement would assist in further reducing the prices of fertilisers to the barest minimum.

(NAN)