The Kano State Government said it had supported rice and wheat farmers with N1.1 billion loan, as part of efforts to boost production of the two commodities in the state.
The state’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr Nasiru Gawuna, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano.
He said out of the total loan package, the state government had approved N1 billion for the rice farmers, while the remaining balance of N100 million was disbursed to wheat farmers.
Gawuna said the loan would enable farmers of the two crops to access quality seeds and other required farm inputs for enhanced productivity.
He said the loan was part of the state government’s effort to support farmers in line with the Federal Government’s commitment to boost their production.
“As you are aware that the State and Federal Governments have decided to focus on agriculture in view of the sudden fall in the price of oil across the globe,” he said.
The commissioner expressed hope that beneficiaries of the loan facility would make the best use of the opportunity to boost food production in the state.
According to him, the state government is also planning to reintroduce marketing board for wheat and rice producers in the state.
He said the state government would partner with the Nigeria Commodity and Exchange Commission to provide warehouse for the commodities.
Also speaking, the state Chairman of Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN), Alhaji Faruk Rabiu, said the association had recently procured wheat cleaning machine.
He said the machine was procured from the N18.2 million loan the association secured from the Union Bank of Nigeria plc.
He said that the machine would give farmers the opportunity to bring their wheat after harvest for cleaning, grading and sorting out.
“We procured the machine to enable our members to process the commodity after harvest to the taste of the companies that promised to purchase it from us,” he added.