In view of media reports that grains are being hoarded, the federal government, has said that it would not purchase the commodity from hoarders.
In a statement to Leadership Weekend, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, revealed that he has “reports of the hoarding of large tons of harvested grains by some individuals who hope to sale at exorbitant price to the Federal Government”
He said, “The Federal Government has however affirmed and warned that it has no plans to buy grains from any unscrupulous third part and that anybody hoarding grains is doing that at his own risk” he said
Senator Lokpobiri appealed to such individuals to put out these grains and make them available for consumers than hoarding them in conditions that will affect their quality and eventual loss, both of the grains and their much desired profit in monetary terms in the spirit of enhancing our agricultural sector’s self-sufficiency policy.
Senator Lokpobiri reiterated the determination of the FG to ensure the country enjoys food security and self-sufficiency, stating that “To achieve this desire, the present Administration through the Ministry of agriculture and rural development has put several measures in place that has today enhanced increased food production, especially grains”
He added that in addition “high breed seeds, soil test and relevant fertilizers are also within the reach of farmers, maintaining that “the Ministry is hugely engaged and committed to all-year-round agriculture including dry season farming and also through increased investment in irrigation”.
“The Federal Government’s Policy is to greatly ensure the drive towards achieving self-sufficiency in grains, to meet local demands from North to South and East to West, nevertheless, to encourage farmers in a situation where there are huge grains due to increase production, Government last resort is to buy off excess grains from farmers to be stored and released when the need arises,” he said.
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