Farmers list challenges amid panic buying of grains in Katsina

Twelve local government areas in Katsina State bedeviled by insecurity did not participate fully in last year’s farming activities because of the fear of being killed or kidnapped. As such, residents of communities who relocated to cities and other areas perceived to be safe, must buy food to sustain themselves.

Coupled with the high cost of farm implements and cost of labour, this also forced farmers to abandon their farms.

A farmer and grain dealer, Ibrahim Kalalu said, “You are aware that most of our people are peasant farmers who are struggling to feed their families. As such, instead of investing in farming, which is full of many uncertainties, they often resort to using the little money they have in meeting the basic needs of their families, which include medicines and foods, to keep body and soul together. This further escalated the shortages we are experiencing, which triggered the panic buying of grains.”

Another major issue encouraging panic buying of grains in Jibia is extortion at numerous checkpoints mounted by various security operatives, especially on the Katsina-Jibia road. This has frustrated many businesses in Jibia and other border communities of Katsina State.

Another grain dealer, Musa Salisu in Maiadua Local Government, mentioned low yield recorded during the 2023 wet season as one of the factors responsible for the struggle to buy excess grains from farmers.

According to him, there is a serious decline in this year’s harvest because of lack of capital and climate change. This forced many to struggle for grains.

“I think the unusual panic buying of grains is also due to border closure, which hinders importation of foreign rice, spaghetti and other food items that complement our local food. Now, if you look at it, the little we produce is not enough for our local consumption, and that is why many resort to buying before the season is over.

“The danger about to happen is that when the grains are sold to hoarders and industries producing beverages at cheaper or takeaway prices, the common man will be left at the mercy of those merchants, who will bring it out at exorbitant prices later in the year. That is the problem,” he said.

Salisu also mentioned extortion by security personnel, especially from Daura to Maiadua, which is a distance of 15 kilometers, as a factor responsible for jerking up the prices of food items and forcing many residents to buy and hoard commodities for fear of the unknown.