Agric ministry opens discussion with Notore, Indorama over fertilizer supply

The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) has begun preliminary discussions with two Nigeria based companies for domestic supply of fertilizers to farmers in the country.

The firms are, Notore Chemicals, an indigenous fertilizer manufacturing company in Onne near Port Harcourt and Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, whose 1.4 million metric tonnes gas-based fertilizer plant is billed for commissioning before the end of first quarter of 2016.

Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who visited Rivers state on Saturday, said he was in the state to visit Notore’s fertilizer production facility; adding that Rivers hosts the two biggest fertilizer plants in Nigeria, Notore and Indorama, hence the state remains critical in the development of agriculture in the country.

Details of the discussions over domestic supply of fertilizer to farmers in the country were not immediately known at the time of filing in this story.  The agric minister, Ogbe noted that transition from oil to agriculture as the major earner of foreign exchange is vital to the survival of the nation, hence agriculture must be developed.

Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state has stated that agriculture should be developed as Nigeria’s next foreign exchange earner in view of dwindling oil prices.

Speaking at the government house, Port Harcourt when the Minister of Agriculture, Ogbeh and the  Minister of State for Agriculture, Heineken Lokpobiri paid him a courtesy call, Governor Wike said, developing agriculture would generate employment and strengthen the economy.

“Agriculture is a critical sector which should be developed as a major foreign exchange earner for the country. Rivers State Government will work with the Federal Government to develop agriculture,” Wike said. He said the state government has initiated school farming to encourage youths to be involved in agriculture; adding that his administration has also extended loans to farmers for greater agricultural production.

He approved the hosting of an Agricultural Conference in Rivers State in 2017, as was requested by the Minister of Agriculture.

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