Lake Rice production under threat as Kebbi rice farmers decry fertilizer scarcity
Lake Rice, a joint partnership product between Lagos and Kebbi States is apparently under threat of slow productivity as Rice farmers in Kebbi State have expressed concerns over their inability to secure fertilizers for the rainy season.
According to some of them, the scenario may lead to the shortage of the product in near future.
It would be recalled that both states entered into a bilateral business relations to produce Lake branded rice in an understanding that whereas Lagos pumps in the money for the production, Kebbi will drive the farming and packaging.
However, a leading rice farmer along Dikku Road, Birnin-Kebbi, Alhaji Ibrahim Guluma, while speaking in an interview on the dangers of scarcity of fertilizer, stressed that despite their readiness to buy the product at the rate of N7,500 at the open market, it was not available.
He said “I could not secure fertilizer from the government this year, and I tried to buy from the open market, but it is not available.”
Also speaking, another farmer in the state, Muhammad Ileya-Yari said, “The state government only provided fertilizers for farmers last year at the rate of N6,500; but this year, we have not been able to get fertilizers from the government.
“We were told that we can get fertilizers from the open market at the rate of N7,500 or more. So, it will be difficult to get enough fertilizers this season for our rice and that can affect our output.”
Majority of Kebbi State rice farmers averred that they are yet to get fertilizer from the official quarters for the rainy season which is getting late by the day.
They argue that the development would cause poor yield which can be a minus for the ongoing rice programme.
