Asaba – The Delta Government on Monday said it had engaged a consultant to recover the N1 billion loan issued to farmers under the Federal Government- Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) Commercial Agriculture Credit Scheme (CACS) in 2012.
Chief Austin Chikezie, the state Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources disclosed this at the 2016 ministerial briefing in Asaba.
He said that the consultant who was engaged barely two months ago, had so far recovered about N20 million.
According to him, the state benefited from the 2012 FG-CBN commercial agriculture loan of N1billion.
“The state government has two months ago engaged a consultant to ensure that full recovery of the loan.
“So, the state government has resolved that all loan beneficiaries must pay back their loans for sustainability,’’ the commissioner said.
Chikezie said that the ministry had in the last one year and half made vital contributions in the areas of food productions and jobs creation.
He said that government has also giving directives for the ministry to boost production of cane rat (Grass cutter) and goat in the state.
Chikezie announced that 250 farmers would benefit from 220,000 improved oil palm seedlings being raised for distribution.
“Government has approved the sum of N51 million to boost all season rice farming and to address all the phases of rice value chain; production, processing and marketing.
“In line with government intervention, 5,000 youths have been engaged in fish farming and consequently, annual fish production in the state has rising from 15,273 metric tonnes in 2008 to 24,413 meretricious tonnes in 2016,’’ the commissioner said.
On the CBN anchored borrowers scheme, Chikezie, said that about 30,000 farmers were registered across the selected enterprises of cassava, oil palm, rice and fisheries.
“However, only about 4,000 farmers have been fully accredited and approved by the CBN to participate in the first phase of the programme,’’ he said.
