Irish potato price rising despite harvest

The price of potato is going high in Plateau where it is produced in large quantities.

Potato sellers in the state told our correspondent that fuel price increase, high cost of fertilizer and potato blight disease were among the factors responsible for the price hike.

Plateau is the largest Irish potato-producing state in Nigeria. 

During the rainy period, mostly between June and September, many households in the state and beyond buy potatoes in large quantities because of its availability and affordability.

This year, however, potato sellers say the price of is high even though it is harvesting season when the produce is expected be cheaper. This time last year, a bag was sold at N12,000 whereas a bag is sold at N25,000 to N26,000 this year.

Muhammad Nazira, a potato dealer said, “The price of the potato this year is very high. Last year, the produce was very cheap but it is a different story this year because farmers are complaining of the high cost of fertilizer. I remember this time last year, we supplied potatoes to the market in large quantities because it was cheap and available.

Malam Auwal, another potato dealer, said, “Every year is coming with a different challenge but this year’s experience is a difficult one. The potato itself is not produced sufficiently this year. Crises, high cost of farm inputs and inadequate rainfall have affected the production of the produce. Any farmer who calculates how much they would spend, and they realize that it is not profitable, they will not cultivate it.

For Rebecca Ezekiel, “The product is expensive now because of the recent experience of potato blight disease which discouraged some farmers from cultivating it this year. The high cost of fertilizer has also discouraged some farmers from going to the farm, coupled with the recent increases in fuel pump price.”

For now, the potato dealers are recording low patronage because of the price hike and they said unless government intervenes, the price will continue to rise.