Cotton farmers in Katsina State have pleaded with the federal and state governments to put necessary measures in place that would facilitate in exposing them to the international market. This is even as the farmers warned against enlisting the commodity on the floor of the Nigerian Commodity Exchange.
The farmers noted that exposing to the international market would enable them boost exportation of the commodity at international markets. The cotton farmers regretted that despite the difficulties they have been facing during cultivation of the crop, government has not assisted them with facilities such as improved seedlings, chemicals and other inputs.
The farmers called on government to ease bureaucracy in securing loan from financial institutions especially Bank of Industry (BoI). According to them, cotton production would receive a big boost if government would assist the farmers in accessing cheaper funds.
According the farmers, cotton farming provide jobs to millions of Nigerians and warned that  if jeopardized, many families will be thrown into untold hardship that could breed crime and other social vices in the society. There has been a rekindled interest in cotton cultivation especially in the North-Eastern part of the country.