Nigeria: Oyo Tobacco Farmers Receive N200m BATN Loans Annually

Source from:  BusinessDAY (ng)  03/07/2013

More than 850 members of the Nigerian Independent Tobacco Association (NITA) in Oke Ogun area of Oyo state benefit from over N200 million interest- free loans every year to cultivate farmlands from British American Tobacco Iseyin Agronomy(BATIA)
 
The  agricultural loans being provided to them by BATIA, ranges between  N500,000 and to N5million annually, based on individual farmer's capacity.
 
While giving kudos to the company for the gestures, the Association's Chairman and Secretary,  Rashidi Bakare and  Abiodun Fagbemi said BATIA also assist each farmer with fertilisers and tractors to clear farmland
 
Bakare likewise applauded its educational scholarship and capacity building initiatives for members and their children saying that the twin-programmes have greatly cushioned the farmers financial hardship.
 
According to him, the farmers' relationship with BATN/BATIA have been mutually beneficial as the organisation has been supporting our members economically and socially.
 
The farmers group warned loan defaulters among its fold to "desist from mounting campaign of calumny against the patriotic gesture of BATN/BATIA" . Enditem