As part of efforts to boost agricultural production in the country, the Federal Government is set to reduce the price of Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium (NPK) fertiliser from N7,500 and N9,000 to N5,000 per bag.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Chief
Audu Ogbeh while addressing journalists on Tuesday  in Abuja. According to the Minister, the exercise was aimed at making food production easier and enhance profit for farmers in the country.

Ogbeh noted that government would take delivery of the first shipment of 800,000 tonnes of NPK fertiliser from Morocco by Jan 27, adding that the blending would take place in all parts of the country to enable farmers have access to fertiliser at a very low cost.

“We expect the first shipment of phosphate from Morocco to arrive on Friday in Lagos and then the blending will be done here. We want to ensure that every blender in the country who has the capacity will blend and even those that their machines are not in order, are going to supported’’

The Minister expressed concerns about neighbouring countries who depend on Nigeria for fertilisers and assured Nigerian farmers that government would ensure that the fertilisers go round, despite demands from these countries.

“The target we have is about 700,000 to 800,000 tonnes of fertilisers per annum from  Morocco but the problem is we do not only satisfy Nigeria, our neighbouring countries also come in and take a bit. We cannot deny them entirely but we have to satisfy ourselves first.”  He said.