Ogun State government allocates 10,000 hectares to cotton farmers in a bid to boost production

OGUN State government has embarked on a radical cotton production programme involving the setting aside of 10,000 hectares of land for members of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NCAN)  to enable expand output.

Like many other cash crops, cotton has suffered immensely from the dependence on crude oil, making production plummet. Of late, however, Nigeria has realised the need to return to agriculture and increased attention is being given to cash crops like cotton, cocoa, palm oil, cassava, rice, cashews, groundnuts, etc.

Yesterday, Governor Dapo Abiodun flagged off the start of the 2019/20 planting season at Ijebu Igbo in Ijebu North Local Government Area, during which he advised growers to speed up the process of completing their documentation with Central Bank of Nigeria. At the event, the governor assured the cotton association  of government’s support in improving the productivity of cotton farmers and all actors in the cotton value chain in the state.

Governor Abiodun said his  government recognised the employment generation potential of cotton enterprises and the importance of sustaining the need for raw materials by textile and allied industries. He expressed his government’s tireless resolve to continue to link farmers in the state with industrial process, as part of national effort to reduce imports and encourage exports, while at the same time providing employment.

“We will support smallholder farmers to raise their yield through deliberate extension services in the Anchor Borrowers Programme under our watch,” Governor Abiodun added.