Farmers association kick against proposed produce sales regulations

THE President, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria ( FACAN), Dr. Victor Iyama has asked the Governor of Cross River State, Prof Ben Ayade to discontinue his pursuit of cocoa and other agricultural produce regulation insisting farmers sell produce only to the state government.

They maintained that such regulations result in economic retrogression for farmers and other stakeholders at the value chains of productivity and marketing.

Dr. Victor Iyama while speaking to journalists in Abuja, described the step being taken through an Executive Order Bill initiated by Governor Ayade to deprive farmers from freely selling their cocoa produce to buyers of their choice as economically parochial to agricultural development.

He noted that the bill is not only targeted at cocoa but would in the long run, take effect on other agricultural produce in the state.

He threatened to offici ally report to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress ( APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu to prevail on the Governor to discontinue such a retrogressive policy that can render farmers who are being engaged as local buyers, merchants and importers jobless.

He said the bill is targeted at making it illegal for anybody to sell agricultural produce outside the state but rather directly to governmentowned companies only thereby negating the right of farmers to sell to buyers of their choice.

FACAN President expressed that he would have expected any sensitive government to rather concentrate on incentivising farmers with agri - cultural inputs and exten - sion trainings to enhance productivity rather than embarking on an obnoxious law that will shortchange farmers by selling to individuals under the guise of government law that ha ve no value to the entire agricul - tural value chain.