Simeon Shodimu
Farmers across the country may scale down or completely boycott the upcoming planting season as rising input costs and falling produce prices continue to squeeze profit margins, as reported by Punch.
According to the report, the President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mohammed Magaji, has warned.
Speaking to Punch correspondent, Magaji said many farmers are already reconsidering their participation in this year’s farming cycle due to mounting losses.
“It’s very bad in the sense that the farmers will not go to farm again. Most of the farmers we are talking to now are saying they will not go to farm this time around; they will wait and buy. What does it mean? It has a lot of implications,” He said.
He stated that the high cost of production compared to low market prices is forcing farmers to operate at a loss. According to him, fertiliser prices have surged significantly, worsening farmers’ financial burden.
“A bag of fertiliser last season sold at about N45,000–N60,000, especially urea. NPK is about N80,000 per 50kg bag, not 100kg. And then you come and sell your produce at the rate of N23,000, N24,000, N25,000, highest is N30,000 per bag.”
Magaji added, “You spend N45,000–N50,000, then you come and sell it at the rate of N30,000. So, what does it mean? It means the farmers are running at a loss, which is very, very bad for the economy.”
Magaji, who disclosed that he previously cultivated between 50 and 70 hectares, said he may drastically reduce his farm size this season. “Like me, I used to cultivate about 50, 60, 70 hectares. But this time around, I don’t know if I will get up to maybe 10 or 20 hectares because the cost of production is very high and the product is very cheap.”
He however noted that farmers are willing to return to their farms if government support for inputs and mechanisation improves.
“But if it happens that the three tiers of government assist in getting inputs at a cheaper rate and at the appropriate time, especially fertiliser, agrochemicals, and seeds, then a lot of farmers will go back to farming. Definitely, they are ready, they are serious, they want to go back, but it depends on the cost of input,” Magaji stated.
He further stated that, “Especially the fertiliser.
So, if the government happens to reduce the cost of fertiliser and make agri-mechanisation easier, get a lot of tractors and ensure you can access your tractors and mechanisation easily, then I believe the farmers will go back to farm and we are ready to produce and even export from Nigeria to other countries.”
Also, the National President of the National Apex of Cashew Farmers, Processors and Marketing Cooperative Limited, Yunusa Enemali, told The PUNCH that he questions the official claims of easing inflation, arguing that conditions in rural communities tell a different story.
“If they tell you that inflation has gone up, why did it go up in the first place? And what is the reason for the reduction? What are the criteria for measuring the reduction? How has that affected the common people in their lives? It’s all effective English as far as I’m concerned. I am talking to you right now, I’m in the village. Nothing is easy for the farmer. He added.
Government , therefore needs to take urgent step to scale up food production, to further push down the cost of food prices as election approaches.
