Katsina surpasses its target in cotton production #nigeria

Katsina — Katsina State has surpassed its set targets in the
area of cotton production under the on going agricultural
transformation agenda, state commissioner for agriculture,
Musa Adamu Funtua has said.
Speaking to our correspondent, in Katsina, on Saturday,
Funtua said the state was given a target of seventy
thousand (70,000) hectares but it effectively cultivated over
one hundred and seventy thousand (170,000) hectares.
He said the state currently has nine ginneries all of which
are operating on optimum capacity due to availability of
cotton insisting that "cotton is currently being produced in
over 20 council areas in the state".
Funtua said the state was able to surpass its target and
earned a reputation as major producer of cotton because
"government accorded topmost priority to the provision of
improved seeds, loans and other incentives to cotton
farmers".
He listed other measures put in place to boost agriculture in
the state to include the animal traction loan programme
where select farmers across the received bulls, ox cart and
other farming implements along with money.
The commissioner disclosed that over eight hundred and
seventy million naira (N870M) has been expended on the
animal traction programme adding that no fewer than 2,720
bulls had been procured and distributed to beneficiaries
across the 361 electoral ward of the state.
"The programme is locally driven as all the needed
materials are produced locally by our blacksmith as part of
measures to strengthen local content and boost small scale
enterprises. In fact, the multiplier effect is too conspicuous
to be ignored"
He hinted on the state government's plan to establish a
produce marketing board as part of measures to regulate
prices of farm produce and ensure farmers have maximum
benefits from their investment in farming.
"Already, the bill for the establishment of a produce
marketing board is currently at its second reading at the
state assembly.
When passed into law, it will provide for effective regulation
of prices of goods among other incentives to make farming
more encouraging"