Mr Gideon Negedu, the Executive Secretary, Fertiliser Producers Society of Nigeria says Nigeria currently has 24 functioning fertilisers blending plants across the country.

Negedu, who disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja, said that the blending plants increased from five in 2016 to 24 plants currently.

“We have been able to revive bending plants in this country basically and more importantly, we have been able to attract more investments.

“So new blending plants have been built through the Federal Government friendly policies and programmes.

“When we started in 2016 initially about five plants were functional but today, we have 24 plants across the country, all private sector-driven or investment.

“Also, the government is working to ensure affordable and quality fertilisers in a very timely manner.

“Farmers can now walk to any of the 24 plants to blend specific types instead of the general fertilisers we used to import.

“Now, instead of having all the general fertilisers we used to have, we are now looking at what the plants need and what is available as against what we have been doing over the years.

“Over the years, we have been giving one drugs to cure all their problems so at the end of the day farmers cannot get special fertiliser that addresses or meet their needs.

“No matter how good your seed is, if you don’t have the right fertiliser, you don’t get good results,” Negedu said.

Negedu listed some of the 24 blending plants as NOTORE Chemical Industries in Lagos and FCT’s INDORAMA, Eleme Petro Chemicals Company in Port Harcourt and West Africa Fertiliser Company Okpella, Edo State.

Others are Superphosphate Fertiliser and Chemicals Ltd., Kaduna, Crystalier Nigeria Ltd. Niger, Flour Mills of Nigeria Apapa, Lagos, Golden Fertiliser Company Ltd. and Golden Fertiliser Company Flour Mills Kaduna.

Also, Fertilisers and Chemicals Ltd. Kaduna, Fertiliser Blending Plant Niger, Funtua Fertiliser and Chemicals Company, Katsina, MFB Fertilisers and Chemicals Company Ltd., Kaduna, Kano Agricultural Supply Company Ltd. and Savannah Fertiliser Services Ltd, Niger, among others.

Negedu, who described majority of the blending plants as private sector-driven said the industries helped to provide solutions to deficiency in the soil.

“It means that if you don’t have enough nitrogen, we put nitrogen in the soil; if the soil lacks phosphorus, we put phosphorus among others.

He commended the Federal Government for encouraging private sectors investment in fertiliser production through its policies and programmes to increase farm inputs or boost food product.

Negedu however appealed for the continuous support of government to further encourage private sector investment in the space.

He specifically described the blending plants as drug factories that could produce any drugs that provide solutions to farmers’ problem or build their capacities to check soil difference. (NAN)

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