Some farmers in Zaria on Friday appealed to government for early supply of fertilisers for this year’s farming season to facilitate bumper harvest.
They made the appeal in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria.
Malam Musa Dogara, a seasoned farmer, said the call became necessary in view of the fact that fertiliser usually arrived late after cultivation.
“I want use this medium to appeal to government to assist us by supplying the commodity before the commencement of raining season.”
“This will encourage farmers to prepare for the cropping season very early, thereby enhancing the ability and capability of farmers.”
“However, I want to commend the efforts of the Federal Government toward diversification which I believe will yield positive results,” he said.
Malam Ibrahim Mohammed, also a farmer, stressed the need for government to learn a lesson from previous experiences.
He recalled that supply of the commodity in previous years used to come after crop cultivation had reached an advance stage.
Mohammed observed that such delay was grossly affecting the output of farmers, hence the need to reverse the trend.
Malam Abubakar Yahuze, another farmer, advised farmers not to rely solely on conventional fertilisers, but be mixing it with manure.
“Remember, the use of manure helps in restoring the fertility of the soil as against the conventional fertilisers which washes away the fertility.
“A farmer can use the dry season period to convey manure to his farmlands to avoid long waiting period for the arrival of conventional fertilisers,” Yahuze said.
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