Farmers Advised To Test Soil Before Planting

Farmers have been advised by the Agribusiness Trade Group of the (LCCI) to conduct proper soil-testing before planting so as to produce a healthier and bumper harvest.

The Chairman of the group Mr Tunji Falade gave the advice on Tuesday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos. He said that the group would ensure that its members in the crop unit adhered strictly to the scientific approach of soil examination.

Falade said that it was a laid-down procedure for the crop unit members to use the soil-testing apparatus, during their planting season, to know the kinds of soil that were suitable for the cultivation of specific crops.

“In the LCCI Agribusiness Group, we have different units like the crop unit; the agro processing; livestock and poultry and the agriculture extension service sub-units.

“For our members in the crop unit, for instance, it is part of the laid-down procedures that even before they engage in planting, they do soil testing to ascertain the nutrient level of the soil.

“We are a bit more scientific in our approach to soil examination; and that is what we preach to our members, we tell them that the method is very critical.

“To do the soil-testing, farmers have to be sure that what they plant is actually suitable for the soil to enable them to get high yield; and that is an area which the crop unit consistently looks at,’’ he said.

Falade, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Kingsway Quality Foods International Limited, said that new entrants into agronomy were always advised to practise the soil examination.

He also said that spacing of plants was an important factor in efforts to boost productivity.

“We also encourage spacing of plants, looking at the calendar; we also tell our members who are new entrants into agronomy that soil examination is very crucial.

“As a group, we just do not do things anyhow; we are scientific in our approach and this has helped us tremendously, ’’he added.