Cotton Farmers in Bauchi State have called on the federal government to encourage cotton farming by sustaining the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP).

The cotton farmers, who spoke in separate interviews, also urged the government to encourage cotton farmers through the ABP.

Nazif Gital, secretary, Bauchi council of the National Cotton Association of Nigeria (NACOTAN), lauded the ABP for supporting cotton farmers in the state in 2020.

He said the support had encouraged farmers to go into cotton production and enabled them to produce 8,347 tonnes of cotton in 2020.

“The programme had motivated farmers for better production by providing them with enough quantities of inputs as well as supporting them with training,” he said.

He noted that since the support stopped coming in 2021, some farmers could not afford to go into cotton farming anymore.

“Cotton is susceptible to insects like weevils. These pests can affect the yield of your crop; we need inputs such as fertiliser, pesticides and chemicals that kill weeds,” he said.

Muhammad Aliyu, chairman, Bauchi council of the Cotton Producers and Merchants Association of Nigeria (COPMAN), urged the federal government to mobilise farmers to embrace cotton farming, given its economic potential.

“Poor cotton production contributed to the collapse of the textile industries, with no radical approach by successive administrations in the country to improve the sector.

“The determination of the Buhari-led administration to diversify the economy and accord agriculture priority attention through the ABP is laudable to revive cotton production,” he said.

Cotton is a global commodity grown in over 75 countries. October 7 is celebrated as World Cotton Day.

(NAN)