Agro-inputs Dealers Lament Scarcity of Urea, Seeks to Combat Adulteration, Round-tripping
The Nigeria Agro Input Dealers Association (NAIDA) yesterday called on the federal government to address the scarcity of Urea in the Nigerian markets.
President of NAIDA, Alhaji Kabir Umar Fara, while calling on the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari to save the situation, however, attributed the scarcity to the stoppage of its distribution by major producers namely Indorama Petrochemicals, Notore, and Dangote Fertilizer companies.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Compliance Monitoring Team on Agricultural Input Distribution/ Sales in Nigeria, he said, "We would therefore appreciate the Hon. Minister’s quick/urgent intervention on this matter with a view to calling/encouraging these companies to start this critical/ essential input to eradicate the scarcity in the Nigerian markets as soon as possible.”
Fara also reiterated the association's commitment to tackling adulteration and round-tripping of agro-inputs in the country.
The counterfeiting and roundtripping of agro-input particularly fertilizer pose major threats to the pursuit of the food security agenda of the current administration as well as constitute economic risks to farmers.
He pointed out that the association seeks to live up to its mission statement to make quality agricultural inputs available, accessible and affordable to farmers in the country.
He said the move will help increase the well-being of farmers and ensuring food security for all.
He explained that the inauguration of the team in all the 36 States including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) will no doubt facilitate and ultimately create an enabling environment for sustainable agricultural development in the country.
Fara said, “It is pertinent at this juncture to bring to fore the outcries by the public on the dubious attitudes of agro dealers particularly with regards to adulteration of agricultural inputs, round tripping of products especially fertilizer which for all intent and purposes is perhaps exaggerated.”
He said while he was not exonerating members of the association from culpability, there are also members who play by the rules.
H said, “As we all are aware, human beings all over the world are bound to always want to cut corners and that is why laws/ punishments are established in statute books to address these behavioral patterns accordingly.
“It is on this note and recognising that we have some of us that are culpable of these malpractices in the sales/distribution of agricultural inputs that this compliance monitoring team is being put in place in all the 36 States and FCT with a view to addressing the malpractice accordingly.”
He expressed confidence that the setting up of the team would no doubt minimise or put an end to the atrocities being perpetrated by unscrupulous dealers within the association.
He said going forward, the association would impose selfregulatory mechanism on itself to put the situation under control.
Fara said NAIDA was prepared to work with relevant stakeholders at both the State and National levels to ensuring that good quality agricultural inputs are made available to farmers across the country.
Also, speaking at the occasion, the National President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Mr. Kabir Ibrahim, congratulated members of NAIDA for taking up the challenge to self-regulate.
He said, "I am glad that you are doing soul searching, you are looking at your membership, you are promoting integrity. That is the most important element in nation building.
“What you are doing is to ensure that anybody who say he or she is a member is duty bound to keep to your rules, it is no longer an all comers affair. I congratulate you for taking this step.”