Bauchi farmers lament rising cost of fertilisers
By Ahmed Kaigama
Some farmers in Bauchi have expressed concern over the high cost of fertilisers this cropping season.
They said the trend had forced most farmers to abandon cultivation of maize and rice to crops that require minimal or no fertiliser application.
A cross section of the farmers who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bauchi, called for proactive measures to guard against the food crisis in the country.
A NAN check in Bauchi Central and Muda Lawal Markets showed that fertiliser prices had shot up by about 15 per cent since the commencement of the cropping season.
A 50 kilogramme bag of NPK brand of fertilisers was sold between N30,000 and N60,000 as against N23,000 and N50,000, at the beginning of the cropping season.
Urea brand of the commodity was sold between N47,000 and N50,000, as against its old price of NN35,000, depending on its quality.
Mr Audu Simon, a maize grower, said most farmers have opted for crops which require less or no fertiliser application like millet, sorghum, soybean, groundnut and beans,
He said that it was no longer viable for the farmers to grow rice and maize in view of the exorbitant fertiliser prices.
“We sold our produce at a loss last season, and we can’t afford fertiliser prices now,” he said.
Hajiya Marka Abass, Spokesperson, Small Scale Women Farmers Organisation of Nigeria (SWOFON), said the trend had forced most women farmers to abandon maize and rice cultivation and embrace vegetable production.
She attributed the hike in fertiliser prices to lack of its availability in spite of various interventions by the state and federal governments.
Also, Usman Umar, a member of the All Farmers’Association of Nigeria (AFAN), advocated for proactive measures to regulate fertiliser prices in the country.
“We need urgent intervention, if this continues, its implications on national food security will be severe,” he said.
Dr Aliyu Gital, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Security, said the Bauchi Fertiliser Blending Company had increased its production capacity to meet the growing demand and enhance farmer access to the commodity. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Abdulfatai Beki
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