AFAN celebrates as FG bans foreigners from direct purchase of farm produce

From Abdulrazaq Mungadi, Gombe

The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN) has commended the federal government for banning foreigners from direct purchase of farm produce from indigenous farmers in the country.

According to AFAN, the move has been the position of the association. This was contained in a statement that was signed and issued by Muhammad Magaji, national publicity secretary of the association.

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had on Wednesday approved a memo banning foreigners or their agents from purchasing agricultural commodities from farmers across the country.

According to the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Niyi Adebayo, who briefed State House correspondents shortly after the FEC meeting, the approval was necessitated by the need for government to establish an appropriate mechanism that would protect local farmers in terms of achieving the right prices for their goods and commodities.

While commending the Federal Government for the stand taken to protect farmers from being short-charged, AFAN seek for more intervention from the government to support the farmers during harvest.

AFAN said: ‘While appreciating this proactive step which is to boost Food security protect our farmers and enhance Agricultural activities in the Country, the AFAN is seeking for an intervention of the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria/Bank of Agriculture to avail our members with HARVEST LOANS to enable them to harvest their crops with ease without being forced to dispose their produce to these foreign nationals out of scarcity of funds at the period of the harvest.

‘Our great association is in full support of the Federal Governments position and I call on all the state chairmen Nationwide to ensure strict compliance of this directive,’ AFAN stated.