FG not attempting to regulate food prices – Ogbeh

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh has said efforts by the Federal Government to address increase in the price of foodstuffs was not targeted at farmers.

Ogbeh said this while speaking with newsmen on Saturday.

He said, “It is intended to make transportation of agricultural goods from one place to another, given that high cost of transportation is a major cause of price increases.

“There is no attempt by the government to regulate prices because it cannot work.

“What government is worried about is the high cost of transporting commodities in some parts of the country and the lack of availability in some parts while there are surplus in some other parts.”

He said the Federal Government was exploring the possibility of creating centres to enhance movement of the items from areas of production to other areas that needed them as a way of drastically reducing their eventual prices.

“Where there is a surplus of yam, the trains will move them down to other parts,’’ the minister said.

He reiterated that the job of the Presidential taskforce was not to regulate prices.

“Government will give the framers some certain level of support but the purpose of the committee is definitely not an attempt to regulate prices, we cannot and if we try to do that, then we discourage the producers,’’ Ogbeh insisted.

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