By Francis Ogwo
Farmers under the umbrella of the Cocoa and Plantain Farmers Associations of Nigeria have lamented the attacks of pests on their farms as they revealed that produce in millions especially tomato and plantain have been worst hit.
This was made by the State Chairman of the Association, Mr. Oluronikise Ibidapo, during the inauguration of the Ondo State chapter of the association, which held in Akure, the state capital.
He disclosed that cocoa, beans, and plantains were eaten up and destroyed by the pests, which has had a heavy toll on expected harvest.
In his words, “The magnitude of the destruction of our crops by the pests was more devastating due to our inability to work on our plantations during the COVID-19 lockdown period.”
He pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to help them and salvage their investments through provision of chemicals, farm implements, seedlings and funds while soliciting for financial intervention for farmers in the South and some Northern states who didn’t benefit from the N13 billion recently released to some Northern states towards fighting pest invasions.
Ibidapo, while applauding the support of Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to farmers in the state, urged him to pay attention to the roads leading to farms lamenting that huge harvests have been lost to bad roads.
