The Ondo State Farmers’ Congress has commended Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa for giving priority to the development of agricultural sector in the state.
The President of the group, Mr Abayomi Monilari
By Alaba Olusola Oke
The Ondo State Farmers’ Congress has commended Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa for giving priority to the development of agricultural sector in the state.
The President of the group, Mr Abayomi Monilari, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Akure, that the governor paid special attention to the sector in ensuring food security.
NAN reports that the state’s N655 billion budget for 2025 earmarked the sum of N56.102 billion to the agricultural sector, representing 8.60 per cent of the budget.
Monilari cited free distribution of fertilizers and bags of maize to poultry, sheep and pig farmers to achieve a drastic reduction in the cost of production.
He said that the intervention also caused a reduction in the prices of eggs, chickens and pigs in the state in 2024.
“Last year, the state governor gave us free fertilizers; maize to pig farmers, poultry farmers and sheep farmers in a bid to reduce cost of production.
“Immediately, we saw the effect of this on the market price because there was grain in reserve and prices of those things crashed in the state.
“This year, I know that he has a lot for farmers because if we go by the budget of the state, it has never happened in the history of the state; what he budgeted for agriculture.
“Apart from that, he also put aside another N7 billion in case there are other projects that will come on agriculture. If you remember, last year also, he released N2 billion.
“But when we realized that there’s no way the targeted projects would not fail, that was why we stopped it and we didn’t take the money he released,” he stated.
Monilari said that farmers in the state are producing over 65 per cent of tomatoes being consumed in Lagos.
“Over 65 per cent of tomatoes being consumed in Lagos is produced in Ondo State because the type of tomato we produce here differs from the one produce in the north.
“Our tomato can last at least, two weeks without getting rotten,” he stated.
He urged people in the state, especially youths to show interest in agriculture, adding that the government was trying its best to maximise food production in the state. (NAN)
