Kebbi Govt. earmarks N357m to improve rice, wheat production

The Kebbi Government has earmarked N357 million to boost rice and wheat farming and processing in the state.

The Commissioner for Lands and Housing, Alhaji Abubakar Ladan, disclosed this in Birnin Kebbi on Wednesday after the executive council meeting.
He explained that N107 million would be spent to establish a Wheat Flower Processing Mill in the state.
Ladan said that N200 million had been approved by the government for the purchase of excess rice from farmers.
The commissioner added that N50 million had also been approved for the purchase of the excess Wheat from farmers, who benefitted from the CBN anchor borrowers programme.
He said that the amount would be used to purchase the commodities from farmers, who had repaid the loans received in the programme after sale of the commodities to government, so as to improve upon rice and wheat production.
Ladan said that farmers, who benefitted from the loan, were expected to repay with the farm produce.
According to him, the amount is to enable farmers bargain on the sale of the remaining produce, while market forces will determine the price.
In a related development, the state government approved the purchase of food grains worth N21 million to be donated to Internally Displaced Persons (IDP's) in Borno.

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