Minister Advocates Agricultural Production As Alternative to Crude Oil

The minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has said that the federal government is seeking the support of states in its efforts to improve agricultural production in the country.

The minister said this during his meeting with members of the Cotton Ginners Association of Nigeria led by the President, Alhaji Salmanu Abdullahi in his office recently.

According to the minister, the call for support on state governments had become necessary as more investments and innovations would be needed to reposition the country’s agricultural sector as an alternative to crude oil.

Ogbeh who expressed displeasure at the tragedy that had befallen cotton production in the country noted that tree crops like cocoa, palm oil and rubber among others had hitherto formed major players in the economic growth of Nigeria. He said the yield of 300 kg of cotton per hectare is very low; stressing that, the use of biotechnology would be introduced to improve agricultural production in the country.

He stated that the present administration would make agricultural practices an all year round operation with the provision of improved irrigation facilities in all states of the federation.

The president lamented that as a result of the decline in cotton production in the country, only 10 out of the 52 ginneries installed by the association were operational and produced below their installed capacities of 20- 30 per cent, saying some African countries solely depended on cotton production to sustain their foreign exchange.