Some southern state governments and farmers have dismissed the blockade by northern food suppliers

Some southern state governments and farmers have dismissed the blockade by northern food suppliers, saying it is an opportunity for the South to  boost its food production capacity.

Officials of the states including Lagos, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Enugu and Ondo in separate interviews with The PUNCH, on Monday explained their actions to ensure self-sufficiency in food and animal production.

But Ondo and Cross Rivers states went further to take a swipe at the northern food suppliers, saying they would not beg the traders to end their blockade, which entered the fourth day on Monday.

Recall that cattle and foodstuff dealers under the aegis of the Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria on Thursday stopped supplies to the South.

Their action followed the Federal Government’s failure to meet their demands, which include payment of N475m compensation for destruction of lives and property  during the #EndSARS protest and last month’s crisis in Shasha, Oyo State.

To enforce the strike, the union’s task force prevented the members from transporting livestock  and food from the north to the southern part of the country.