Nigerian farmers decry falling food prices despite bumper harvests

Farmers across Nigeria are lamenting falling food prices despite recording bumper harvests this season, saying the decline has left them struggling to recover production costs.

Prices of staple foods such as rice, beans, tomatoes, and maize have dropped sharply due to increased supply from ongoing harvests.

A 50kg bag of rice now sells between ₦50,000 and ₦63,000, down from ₦100,000 earlier in the year, while a basket of tomatoes has fallen from ₦120,000 to ₦35,000.

Despite the abundant yields, farmers say they are not reaping the rewards of their labour due to poor storage facilities, insecurity, and limited market access — factors forcing them to sell their produce at low prices.

In Kaduna, maize and soybean farmer Ibrahim Musa said insecurity and the lack of storage have forced many farmers to dispose of their harvests quickly.

“We had good rainfall and yields this year, but we can’t store our crops or transport them far because of insecurity,” he said.

Another farmer, Grace Zakari from Soba LGA, said the high cost of fertiliser and labour had eroded profits.

“Even with the good harvest, we are losing because we can’t sell at reasonable prices,” she added.

Farmers attributed the situation to a market glut and rising production costs following the removal of fuel and fertiliser subsidies.

They urged the government to provide affordable inputs, improve security, and establish modern storage facilities to help stabilise prices and protect farmers’ incomes.

In Kano, farmers reported good yields for crops like groundnuts, soybeans, and millet.

Groundnut farmer Umaru Garba said the Special Agro-Industrial Processing Zones (SAPZ) programme helped double his output through improved seeds and training.

However, others expressed concern over the lack of storage and high transport costs.

Similarly, in Katsina, farmers said the prices of most grains had dropped below production costs.

A bag of maize now sells for about ₦30,000, millet for ₦30,000, and beans for ₦68,000, while fertiliser costs remain over ₦50,000 per bag.

Farmer Abubakar Aliyu lamented, “We planted hoping to make profits, but prices have fallen drastically.

“We need government support to stay afloat.”

While consumers welcome the lower prices, many farmers fear the trend could discourage future production if immediate interventions are not made.

“This year’s harvest is a blessing, but without proper market and storage support, it’s turning into a loss for farmers,” said one market leader at Dawanau International Grain Market.