Kaduna — Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture Ibrahim Ramalan Giwa has said that the introduction of agricultural fair at the Kaduna International Trade Fair was to encourage local farmers.

Giwa said this while moving round some agric pavilions and urged exhibitors to reduce the prices of their equipment for local farmers to afford. He said: "We expect to see a lot of display from the agricultural machinery and equipment. The issue now is all about mechanisation so I will love to see that simple items of farm tools for farm work, processing and storage are affordable to the farmers."We want the items to be low cost and of high quality. We want to see commodity that are been produce locally either from research institute or from individuals here at the trade fair in large number.

"This is an opportunity for a farmer to engage in marketing of his product and exhibition but we have not seen local farmers here. Some people said you don't expect to see them in this type of gathering, but farmer that comes here stands to benefit."