Exportation of produce may lead to food scarcity-Northern farmers

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Farmers in northern Nigeria have hinted of a remarkable hike in food prices because they have begun exporting their products outside the country.

According to them, the benefits and rewards of doing so are higher than selling in Nigeria with its many challenges including the devalued naira even though the federal government has prevailed on them to sell locally. The neighbouring countries like Chad, Niger Republic, Ghana, Cameroon and as far as Europe and Asia have begun to patronise Nigerian farm products to ease food insecurity in the domains.

The chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria, (AFAN) Kano state chapter, Abdulrashid Magaji confirmed this, saying it is the handiwork of middlemen.
He noted that the middlemen are mostly southerners who come to the north to purchase goods from local farmers and sell them to other countries for maximum profit.
He stressed; “Even CFA Franc is stronger than our Naira, hence the reason why such middlemen export the grains to maximise profits.” Farmers in different states also confirm that with the naira devaluation, selling their produce to other countries brings more income than selling it to consumers locally. While scarcity and inflation pushed more people into farming, they would rather export the produce where they get better value for their efforts.

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Even in Jigawa, where they recorded a bumper harvest of rice, millet, and sesame, they insist that international buyers from Asia and Europe offer better prices for their goods.

On the government side, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture Coordinator in Jigawa State, Sale Salisu, said the government is strategising to incentivise local sales for the farmers, adding that it has made investments in the price levers for agric products.

Alhaji Salisu reiterated the government’s commitment to subsidise farming inputs and called for the farmers to reciprocate the good gesture and efforts of the government by selling their products locally.

Source:Bushlink

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