As the state and federal governments collaborate to ensure massive production of foods and other agricultural products, farmers have been implored not to entertain any fear about how to dispose their harvests. This is because the federal government plans to bring back the commodities exchange that was used to great advantage by past governments in Nigeria. Dr Doris Uzoka Anite, Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment made the disclosure in Kano State recently.According to her, the federal government will revamp the National Commodity Exchange programme, to encourage agriculture as well as improve the development of the non-oil export sector in Nigeria. Anite said this while on a tour of industries in Kano. She said that agriculture and the non-oil sectors are key to poverty reduction, job creation, employment, and food security in the country.She told her audience, “In the ministry, we are revamping the national commodity exchange to be able to do much more to support agriculture and encourage investment and development in the agricultural sector. We are determined to see more investments in agriculture as well as the solid minerals sector and the oil and gas sector. We are looking at ensuring that the farmers and producers get value for their efforts.”The minister left no one in doubt as to how the government hoped to achieve this feat. Hear her: “We are coming with a warehousing idea so that farmers can take their goods to warehouses and they can get some facilities to go back to farm more”.Anite further said that the Bola Tinubu administration is committed to establishing more industrial clusters as well as reviving existing ones to fast-drive SMEs and industries across the country. The clusters would provide access to subsidised inputs like power, access roads, and other infrastructure needed to drive industries and SMEs to greater productivity and profitability.She said further, “For us, making these industries competitive is a major goal of this ministry, especially now that the African continental free trade area is developing. It is important that we help the industries, and the SMEs reduce their production costs so that they can compete favourably in a larger market.”
FARMERS WILL GET VALUE FOR THEIR EFFORTS-MINISTER
