FG Bans Foreigners From Direct Purchase From Farmers

Foreigners and their representatives have been barred from purchasing agricultural produce directly from farmers in the country by the Federal Executive Council (FEC).

With the new ban, only licensed and duly registered local buying agents can now buy farm produce directly from farmers in Nigeria.

According to the federal government, the effort is to ensure that the farmers are no longer cheated in the purchase of farm produce.

Speaking on the development, Niyi Adebayo, minister of industry, trade, and investment, said that as part of the FEC approval, the attorney-general would draft a law that would be sent to the national assembly to support the implementation of the new policy.

“We will also use commodity associations, to which the farmers belong, to ensure effective implementation,” the minister said.

Briefing state house correspondents after the FEC meeting presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the minister said he presented two memos on behalf of his ministry, one, was the promotion of agribusiness in Nigeria through right farm gate pricing and the second was a ban on foreigners and their representatives from purchasing agricultural commodities at the farm gates.

Adebayo said the council approved the establishment of an appropriate mechanism that would protect indigenous farmers in terms of achieving the right prices for their goods and commodities.