Emmanuel Ochayi
Mr. Olatunbosun Oyintiloye, a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, praised President Bola Tinubu for sanctioning a 50 per cent reduction in the cost of agricultural inputs, emphasizing its role in aiding farmers to bolster production amidst escalating inflation.
Speaking to reporters in Osogbo, Oyintiloye underscored the subsidy’s potential to fortify food availability despite the prevailing economic challenges.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelThe commendation followed the announcement by the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, unveiling the government’s plan to extend a 50 per cent input subsidy to 250,000 wheat farmers for dry season cultivation.
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This initiative, a part of the National Agricultural Growth Scheme and Agro-pocket Project, as disclosed by Kyari, aims to cultivate 250,000 hectares, projecting an output of over 1.2 million tonnes of wheat.
Citing statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), Oyintiloye highlighted the food inflation rates, citing an increase of 31.5 per cent and hikes in prices of staple foods such as rice and brown beans.
He underscored the timely nature of the approved farm input subsidy, foreseeing its potential to alleviate the burden of food inflation.
Oyintiloye extolled President Tinubu’s commitment to transforming the agricultural sector, emphasizing that this subsidy signifies a step in the right direction.
He expressed optimism that such interventions, coupled with training initiatives under the National Agriculture Growth program, would elevate food production and contribute to price stabilization in the market.
However, Oyintiloye advocated for a more direct interaction between the federal government and agricultural stakeholders, including subsistence and large-scale farmers, through their respective associations.
He asserted that such collaborations could streamline access to government interventions, fostering self-sufficiency in agricultural produce and, rendering food items more affordable for Nigerians.
