Farmers in Bauchi State have decried hike in the prices of inputs, saying this can affect food security, if not addressed.
Some of the farmers, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Bauchi, said that lack of price control in farming inputs might threaten the 2021 farming season in the state.
NAN reports that the common farming inputs include: fertiliser, pesticides, herbicide and seedlings.
A farmer, Malam Sabi Mohammed, lamented that prices of inputs had continued to increase, adding that this had forced the farmers to abandon their farms.
“The economy is dwindling; no money in the hands of the people, especially the farmers, and they cannot afford the costs of farm inputs.
“We are facing difficulties in accessing farm inputs because the prices are on the high side and this is seriously threatening farming in the state,” he said.
According to him, prices of Vinash, Glacel, Slasher, Uproot and Bush Klear, which sold for N1,200 last year, have moved to N1,800.
Mohammed also said that Butashi, was now being sold for between N2,700 and N3,100 as against N1,900 it was sold last year, while post-emergence herbicides were now being sold for between N4,000 and N5,000.
A 50-year-old farmer and educationist, Mr Istifanus Gambo, said that a 2kg maize seedling, which sold for N800 last year, was now N1,200, while a bag of NPK 15-15-15 now cost between N7,500 and N14,000, depending on the brand.
“Also a bag of urea fertiliser is sold between N12,000 and N13,000 as against N10,000 in 2020.
“Most of the farmers are worried over the continued increase in the prices of farming inputs in the state,” he said.
Another farmer, Mrs Liman Gamba, said that government needed to take action that would regularise prices of farm inputs for the benefit of local farmers.
Gamba said that hike in the prices of farming inputs might reduce the number of farmers, especially women, in the state.
“We are trying to see how we can manage since we need the inputs to take care of our farms. We have no choice than to buy them, but the prices are just too high,” she said.
Also, Alhaji Usman Ahijo called on dealers of the inputs to reduce their prices, adding that government should also supply inputs to enable farmers have some relief in the 2021 farming season.
NAN reports that Gov. Bala Mohammmed had, on July 1, flagged off the 2021 fertiliser sales for 2021 farming season in Soro Ganjuwa Local Government Area of the state.
(NAN)