New high yielding sweet pepper developed for farmers
Pepper farmers across the country can now access high yielding sweet pepper variety in the country. The pepper variety tagged Commandant F1 is said to be weather and disease resistance.
It was developed by Syngenta AG, an Agro Chemical and Seed Company that came to Nigeria this year.
A pepper farmer in Niger State, John Ebuya, said he heard about the pepper variety in the news and had enquired how he could get it.
The South-West President of Tomato Growers Association of Nigeria, MrBamidele Ajani, said farmers have started receiving new pepper variety.
Ajani told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan that commandant F1 is sweet pepper, very blocky and attractive bright red colour with a good disease resistance, which will give farmers a high return on investment.
“We have some farmers who travel to Kenya to buy the seed, but right now, they don’t have to go to Kenya again since it’s available in the country,’’ Ajani said.
To get an optimal yield of the variety, he advised farmers to ensure they plant in a greenhouse, have a good spray regime and give it the required nutrients at every stage of growth.
The association president also urged farmers to always get seeds from reputable seed companies and stop planting saved seeds.
“Farmers should know that the result they will get from being a farmer starts from the kind of seeds they plant.
“If you plant a seed with good disease resistant package, seeds that will adapt to our weather, you will definitely get an excellent result.’’
Ajani also government, at urged all levels, the to encourage youths to go into farming by providing subsidy, grant or loan to those who are interested in farming.
“The population of the world is increasing and agricultural lands are depreciating in so many ways.
“Now, we have to plant in a small land to feed a large population.
“Nigeria, I believe, can feed the world if we play our cards well by investing more in agriculture,’’ he said.