Bauchi wheat farmers promise bumper harvest in 2023

TNational Wheat Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria ( NWFPMAN) has disclosed that the 2023 dry season wheat farming would produce more yields than the previous years, to close the gap created by the foreign grains. While speaking with journalists in Bauchi, one of the wheat’s farming strongholds in the country, the Extension Officer of the association, Yusuf Sani, said all preparations have been concluded as many of the farmers have commenced planting.

NWFPNMAN refuted claims by some farmers that the wheat farming in Bauchi may suffer this season. He said he was misquoted while granting an interview recently that delay of farm inputs is caused by the Central Bank of Nigeria ( CBN) and the Heritage Bank. “Mostly, the delay is transporting these huge items and inputs to our stores. It’s a transport bottleneck.

“We have thousands of farmers in our association, at least, every farmer will get 10 bags of fertiliser, a water pump, sprayer, bags of seeds and others. Moving these things to Bauchi has always been the issue, but we have prepared and collaborated with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, ( NARTO) to convey these goods to avoid any delay,” he said.

Sani said the state is hugely contributing to local wheat production and the farmers were delighted to receive assistance from the government to produce more. He pledged that 2023 would witness more wheat input in the Nigerian market.