Stakeholders in the agriculture sector have reportedly commenced the review of the fertilizer quality control bill.
This is to checkmate adulteration of the farm input and boost food production in the country.
When passed into law, the bill is expected to crash the high food prices as fertiliser is properly deregulated and made readily available to farmers at reasonable prices.
The bill, which has passed second reading in the House of Representative and moved to the Senate, was being reviewed to regulate fertilizer production, supply and usage in the nation, and also ensure that the environment is not polluted with the adulterated farm input.
The project funded by the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) under the Micro Reforms for African Agribusiness (MIRA) was geared towards regulating the production and the sale of fertilizer.
The Vice President of the Nigerian Agribusiness Group, Emmanuel Ijewere, during a stakeholders’ consultation on the economic impact assessment of Agriculture reforms in the input sector in Abuja said there will be provision in the bill, fine against producers that engage in fertilizer adulteration.
In the same vein, the fertilizer bill when passed into law, would regulate players in the fertilizer procurement, blending and distribution.
He said the Fertilizer Supplier Association of Nigeria would be strengthened to protect the interest of small-scale farmers.
