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Tag: Abba Abdullahi

  • Tomato farmers cry over poor market in Katsina

    Tomato farmers cry over poor market in Katsina

    The Kanya Hote Tomato Growers Association in Daura, Katsina State, has urged the state government to provide stable market for tomatoes.

    Malam Bako Langa, the Chairman of the association made the call when the Reporter visited his farm on Tuesday.

    According to him, the absence of regular and stable market for the product is affecting the fortunes of members of the association who have cultivated the commodity in abundance.

    Langa said members of the association alone have cultivated about 1,000 hectare of tomatoes in the current dry season farming.

    He noted with the price of tomatoes at between N400 and N500, “it is doubtful if we could recoup what we invested in the production and processing of the commodity.”

    According to him, although a tomato processing industry in Katsina is buying the commodity at between N700 and N800 per basket, a farmer require at least N500 per basket to cover the cost of harvesting, packaging and transport.

    He therefore urged the state government to situate a market in the area where factory owners can buy off the commodity from farmers.

    Read Also:  Minister inaugurates  tomato monitoring team

    A farmer, Alhaji Sani Zimbo, said tomato growers would continue to record consequential losses if the situation was not addressed.

    “I cultivated four hectares of two tomato variety called Chipli and UTC and harvest  300 baskets weekly, but the our problem is that of getting market value for our efforts.”

    He advised the state government to come up with an emergency intervention method to assist the farmers and encourage further production of tomato.

    Malam Salisu Salisu, the Irrigation Officer, Daura Local Government noted that the drastic fall in the price of tomato should elicit concern by government.

    Salisu described the situation as “distressful” with farmers at the receiving end.

    When contacted, Dr Abba Abdullahi, Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Masari on Agriculture, advised the farmers to liaise with his office with a view to addressing the problem.

    He said the state government was doing its best to attract investors to set up tomato processing plants across the state.

    Abdullahi said already, a Spanish firm was in the process of establishing a tomato processing industry in Funtua, to provide stable market for the product in the area.

    “We have invited investors from Spain and aerial survey of where the factory would be located had been completed,” he said.

    NAN

  • Katsina invests N200m in rice, cotton production

    Katsina invests N200m in rice, cotton production

    The Katsina State Government says it has invested N200 million in rice and cotton production under the Anchor Borrowers Programme in the state.

    Dr Abba Abdullahi, the Special Adviser to Gov. Aminu Masari on Agriculture, disclosed this in Katsina on Tuesday, at the opening of a town hall meeting on the programme.

    The town hall meeting was organised by the state government in conjunction with the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN ), the co-sponsor of anchor borrowers programme.

    “We have rice and cotton farmers that collected the CBN loan under the anchor borrowers programme to boost rice and cotton production and the programme needed supervision.

    “We used the funds to supervise and inspect all the rice and cotton farms in the 34 local government areas of the state.

    “The Katsina state government also purchased over 35 motorcycles for extension workers to visit rice and cotton farmers with the aim of offering pieces of advice to them,” he said.

    Abdullahi said that part of the fund was used for the repair of 15 vehicles for officers involved in supervising the extension workers.

    Earlier, Alhaji Shehu Musawa, the Managing Director, State Agricultural and Rural Development Project (KATARDA), said the stakeholders’ meeting was to review how the programme fared during the rainy season.

    “Anchor borrowers programme has achieved the desired goal in the state as it has boosted rice and cotton production.

    “We are expecting bumper harvest of cotton and rice in the state,” Abdullahi said.

    In his contribution, Keystone Bank’s representative, Malam Ahmed Musa, said that the bank would continue to support agricultural programmes in the state.

    NAN

  • Katsina begins spray of chemicals against armyworms on farms

    Katsina begins spray of chemicals against armyworms on farms

    The Katsina State Government, has begun the spraying of chemicals on armyworms in Dandume Local Government Area to curtail its spread to other parts of the state.

    Dr Abba Abdullahi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, made this disclosure while speaking with newsmen on Wednesday in Katsina.

    “Armyworms came from Ethiopia to Nigeria through Benin Republic; Our extension workers confirmed to us that armyworms invaded farmlands in Dandume Local Government.

    “These insects are devastating, they travel 100 kilometers by night and when they invade a farm, they can destroy it within 48 hours,’’ Abdullahi said.

    He said that armyworms mostly destroyed maize when they attacked a farm.

    Abdullahi said that the government had purchased chemicals to spray the affected areas.

    “We have started spraying chemicals on these insects and if the need arises, we will request for the Federal Government intervention in that regard,” he said.

    Abdullahi urged farmers to report any invasion of insects and pests in their farms for prompt action.

  • Court remands five men for disturbing, obstructing journalists

     

    A  Senior Magistrates’ Court sitting in Kano on Tuesday remanded five men in prison for allegedly disturbing and obstructing NTA journalists from discharging their professional duties.

    The accused persons are Abba Abdullahi, 32, Mansir Sale, 28, Bashir Saminu, 27, Yusuf Tijjani, 30 and Shazali Tasiu, 38.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Judge, Aminu Fagge, ordered their remand and adjourned the case until April 20 for ruling on their bail applications.

    All the accused persons are facing a five-count charge of criminal conspiracy, criminal force, inciting disturbance, mischief and obstructing public servants in discharging her duty.

    The five accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges.

    Earlier, the Prosecutor, Insp Yusuf Sale, had told the court that one Hajiya Binta Adamu of NTA Kano and Abdulrashid Nasir of Kofar Wambai Market, Kano, jointly reported the case at Kofar Wambai Police Division.

    “The accused persons, on April 10 at about 3:55 p.m., criminally conspired to obstruct Binta from performing her lawful and official duty at Kofar Wambai Market as assigned by the NTA Kano.

    “The accused persons, with others at large, beat them up and tore Nasir’s clothes,” he said.

    According to the prosecutor, the offences contravened Sections 97, 265, 114, 327 and 149 of the Penal Code.