Ogun produce sellers to expand market

Produce sellers and farmers under the auspices of Agricultural Co-operatives from agrarian and riverine areas of Ogun State have pledged to increase agricultural production and expand produce market following the receipt of N6 million agricultural grant from the state government.

The N6 million grant, which was given to 12 agricultural co-operatives from four local councils – Obafemi-Owode, Ewekoro, Ado-Odo/Ota and Ogun Waterside – was part of the Conditional Grant Scheme to Local Government Areas (CGS-LGA) under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in conjunction with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on MDGs.

Speaking in Abeokuta shortly after the receipt of N6 million cheque, Sule Subuola of Egbade Multipurpose Cooperative, Ewekoro, who spoke on behalf of the 12 co-operative groups, said the farmers and produce sellers had concluded plans to increase production, especially as regards food crops, thereby making it possible for produce sellers to expand market.

Subuola disclosed that the grant, given in addition to both Federal and State governments’ agricultural intervention in form of subsidised fertilisers, seeds and tools, would enable farmers in the concerned areas of the State step up agricultural activities and in return, boost produce marketing, adding that the co-operatives would ensure effective use of the grants.

Another beneficiary from God’s Grace Agric-Cooperative, Obafemi Owode, Kolawole Rasak, a farmer, said that farmers would use the grants to engage in more farming activities and ensure that the foods production is increased drastically, assuring government and people of the State that the farmers would work tirelessly to surpass government expectation in terms of Agricultural production.

But, Oluwande Muoyo, the commissioner for budget and planning, while presenting cheques to the group said that the programme was another way of impacting on the people and the development of the agricultural sector towards providing more food, adding that the agricultural grants were given to the farmers by the State government in conjunction with the Office of the Special Assistant to the President on MDGs.

According to her, the present administration in the State had since inception implemented various projects with beneficiaries cutting across different local governments, adding that the release of grant to Agricultural Cooperative Societies was a component of the 2012 CGS-LGA with Ado-Odo/Ota, Ewekoro, Obafemi Owode and Ogun Waterside benefiting from the scheme.

RAZAQ AYINLA