Cattle Destroy N17m Rice Farm In Enugu

Over N17 million worth of rice farmland has been destroyed by grazing activities of cattle in Oji-Agu axis in Akpugo community in Nkanu East Local Government Area of Enugu State.
Briefing newsmen on the massive destruction of the rich farmland in Enugu yesterday, Mr Ekene Uzodinma, the Manager of Excellent Integrated Farms Ltd., said that herds of cattle had eaten up over eight hectares of farmland that the company cultivated.
Uzodinma lamented that the herds also devoured some heaps of unprocessed paddy rice kept in the farmland, which was waiting to be sent to the milling machine.
“From the market value of local rice now, the eight hectares should produce at least 80 tonnes of rice as a finished product and it is nothing less than N17 million in evaluation,’’ he said.
“Presently, my workers, other farms and villagers are afraid to go to the farms again due to the unrelenting activities of the herds; while the herdsmen are threatening to brutally deal with anybody stopping their cattle from grazing.
“Initially, we tried our best to wade them off, especially during the rainy season and the swampy nature of the rice farm also kept the herdsmen and their herds away.
“However, when we started harvesting and the dry season rolled in; in early December, we were constantly chasing them away until December 15; when they started coming into the rice farmland during the late evening and night hours.