From Ahmed Kaigama, Bauchi
Bauchi State Government has procured 100 tractors that will be distributed to the 20 local governments through the state farmers’ association.
The State Commissioner of Agriculture, Alhaji Tasi’u Mohammed who stated this yesterday in Bauchi, said that distribution of the tractors will be through partnership with a company known as Propcom which serves as link between the state government and five other tractor companies”.
Alhaji Tasi’u said the tractors will be given to the farmers on loan which they will pay within five years, adding that those farmers who refuse to pay government N1billion agricultural loan they accessed last year, will not be beneficiaries of the tractor loan.
According to him, the state government has made adequate preparations for the 2014 farming seasoning adding that the state fertiliser blending plant will also produce 16,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser that will be sold to farmers at the cost of N3,000 from the Gross Enhancement Scheme.
He said already, the ministry has sent 15-20 trucks of fertilisers to all the twenty local government areas of the state, depending on the size of their stores.