Fertiliser prices have been rising in the last six months, and farmers are extremely worried.
The commodity, which was sold between N11,000 and N16,000 in January this year, just about five months ago, now costs between N24,000 and N30,000, depending on type and location.
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Although the problem is not Nigeria-specific as it is a global phenomenon, the situation in the country is seen by many as snowballing into complications and pushing many farmers to the edge.
In many places, farmers cannot reap anything without applying fertiliser, especially in areas where soil fertility has been depleted to an unfortunate proportion.
At the moment, farmers are faced with difficult options, sourcing for cow dung and chicken droppings, which are also threatened by a shutdown of many poultry farms.
Reports from different parts of the country indicate that prices of fertiliser are significantly going up; and many are projecting a further rise in the coming months.
In the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its surrounding communities in Nasarawa and Niger states, the prices of urea fertiliser and the three main brands in circulation (Indorama, Dangote and Notore) range from N19,000 to N25,000.
The NPK fertiliser is even more expensive. Its 15:15:15 blend, for example, goes for as much as N30,000 per 50kg bag, depending on the brand. The FG blend, 20:10:10, which was pegged at N5,500, is now above N14,000 and mostly not accessible by many farmers.
In Kano State, the price of fertiliser has risen drastically and many farmers have expressed fears that wet-season farming will be very difficult for many farmers in the state.
A survey of the fertiliser prices in the state revealed that Urea of Indorama is now selling at N22,000 as against its initial price of N12,000 last year, Dangote Urea is now N19,000 as against its N9,000 initial price, while Urea of Waraka is now selling at N25,000 instead of N16,000 it sold last year.
Similarly, NPK 15:15:15 of Nagari is now N24,500 as against N12,000, NPK 20:10;10 of Golden Penny is selling at N25,000 as against N13,000, while NPK of Kasco NPK 20:10:10 sells at N15,000 as against N9,500.
According to a farmer in Bagwai Local Government Area, Malam Danladi Balarabe, a lot of farmers have already resorted to the use of local manure and other substitutes like potash and salt. He explained that not every farmer could afford fertiliser need this year.
Another farmer in Kiru Local Government Area, Aliyu Buba, said he and other farmers were considering the use of newly introduced liquid manure as a substitute to fertiliser. He explained that a company had introduced liquid manure being modernised and it is cheaper than the fertiliser, adding that he and his friends have resolved to give it a try this wet season as they cannot afford fertiliser.
In Niger State, our correspondent reports that the high cost of inorganic fertilisers has pushed farmers across the state to adopt alternative measures, especially the use of organic manures in their farms.
Investigation by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that while NPK fertilisers cost N26,000, urea costs between N20,000 and N21,000.
The cheapest of the fertilisers was blended, which Alhaji Abdullahi, a dealer, said was sold at N15,000. He said the patronage of NPK and Urea had been very low this rainy season.
A farmer, Mohammad Umar, told our correspondent that he had adopted organic manures, especially refuse dumps, to his yam and maize while mulling the idea of using it for his rice farming.
“I use organic fertiliser. What I do is to find where there are heaps of refuse dumps and clear the solid materials such as leathers and plastic materials that will not decompose, pack the soil and spread it on my farm before I make ridges. I used it for the yam I planted, and I want to do the same for the ones I am about to plant. I have not bought modern fertilisers this rainy season and I don’t intend to because it is too costly,” he said.
Umar called on the government to identify genuine and real farmers and assist them with inputs, especially fertilisers at a subsidised rate.
However, Adamu Aliyu, a farmer in Katcha, Katcha Local Government Area of the state, said he used poultry drops as an alternative to inorganic fertilisers due to the high cost.
“I have diversified to minimise the cost of buying fertilisers. I use poultry drops. But the problem is availability in large quantities. We have to follow poultry farmers to buy the drops, which cost us less. Before, it was N2,500 per 100kg sack, but with high demands now, the price has slightly gone up,” he said.
Another farmer in Gbako Local Government Area, Muhammad Muhammad, said the cheapest alternative they adopted was the use of refuse dumps.
“Apart from the high cost of fertilisers, they are not as good as they used to be. Even if you apply them on crops, they do not yield well as we used to witness. So, the quality of the fertilisers has also reduced, apart from the cost.
“But with N10,000 you will hire a pickup truck that will help you pack refuse dumps that will cover a large area of land instead of buying a bag of fertiliser at the cost of N22,000 or N25,000.
“The manure is usually spread on the farm before making ridges. And they improve the yielding capacity of millet, groundnut and other crops,” he said.
A poultry farmer, Suleiman Mohammed, confirmed to our correspondent that a 100kg bag of poultry drop is sold at N3,000.
“The demand is even higher than the supply as farmers would have to book for the drop before they get supplied when available. You cannot just come and say you want to buy and get it immediately. Many farmers pay ahead,” he said.
He said some people had also engaged in buying and reselling of poultry drops to end users.
Farmers in Plateau State have expressed concern over the hike in the prices of fertiliser, saying it has been affecting them in several ways, adding that they are carrying on the farming activities stressfully.
John Ajiji, who farms in Jos North and East, said the hike in the prices of fertiliser had made him to reduce because he could no longer afford to purchase what he used to buy.
He said he usually purchased 10 bags every season, but now, he can barely afford five bags.
Ajiji said they now bought NPK at N28,000 per bag, while Urea is N21,000 per bag, and he could barely afford the money to purchase.
He said that to afford the quantity of fertilisers needed on his farms, he would have to spend over N100,000.
He called on the government to make fertiliser available, affordable and accessible to farmers because it is the bedrock of farming, which remains the main and only surest channel of food availability in the country.
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