Farmers under the aegis of Kwara state Off-taker Farmers Association on Wednesday accused the state government of failure to redeem the pledged credit facility for its members.

The chairman of the association, Mr. Paul Adeshina told journalists in Ilorin that the farmers had incurred loss because the state government reneged on its promise to the farmers.

He explained that the state government had at the beginning of the farming season selected 10 farmers each from the 16 local government area of the state to form cooperative societies under its off-taker policy.

On the basis of this h said his members had committed more funds to their farms with a hope that government would grant them the pledged credit facility.

Adeshina at the press briefing where the association’s chairmen from the 16 local government areas of the state attended the briefing stated that the government instructed them to grow soya beans, maize, rice and cassava in large quantity depending on the local government under the government policy.

"On March 4, the state government called a meeting and implored that ten farmers from each local government should form a cluster and register a cooperative society to access loan under the state government off-tanker agricultural policy.

"Baruten and Kaima local governments were asked to grow soya beans; Edu and Patigi, rice; Kwara South, Cassava while Kwara Central is for maize.

"Individual farmer was instructed to grow between 10 to 15 hectares with a promise that government would create a market for it in addition to the pledged loan facility."

The chairman however expressed disappointment that government had reneged on its agreement after the farmers had committed a lot of money to the projects.

"Some of our members have developed hypertension because of the government action. We are now struggling to pay back the loan we accessed with high interest rate. This is unfair," he said.

The head of farmers association noted that they had set up more than what they could maintain, causing a lot of loss for the farmers.

The association therefore urged the state government to take responsibility for the loss incurred by the farmers in implementing its part of the agreement and to refund the farmers for the capital expended on the programme.