The ongoing conflict in Ukraine has prevented the Federal Government from importing muriate of potash (MOP), one of the main raw materials needed for mixing the farm inputs, from Russia, which has contributed to the country’s high fertiliser costs.
Urea and limestone are two of the four main raw materials used in the mixing of compound fertilisers (NPKs), while di-ammonia phosphate (DAP) and muriate of potash (MOP) are imported from Belarus and Russia, and Morocco, respectively.Information Guide Nigeria
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Conflicts between Russia and Ukraine and the restrictions brought on by the Covid-19 epidemic resulted in a considerable gap, particularly for MOP, which is obtained from Belarus and Russia.
NPK fertiliser bag prices have increased from N5,500 to N28,000. However, industry participants have criticised the federal government for importing raw materials when they are readily available in Nigeria.
They claim that Sokoto state in Nigeria contains a phosphate rock deposit, and that the Ministry of Solid Minerals must give local exploration of oxides of potash (MOP) and DAP from the area of the Sokoto basement complex the attention it deserves.
The Executive Director of Al-Yuma Fertiliser and Chemicals, Dr Farouk Hamzat said, “Nigeria is just sitting on the gold mines and not paying much emphasis in the area of research and development. To reduce that over-dependence on other foreign countries for the raw materials, there is a need to intensify our efforts towards the exploration of these two major inputs that we import from overseas.”JAMB Result
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