Plateau farmers joyful over maize price

Farmers in Plateau State have said the hike in the prices of commodities in the market is a good development as they are making good returns on their investments. For example, the price of maize suddenly skyrocketed across the country, a situation poor consumers have described as worrisome. Some residents told our correspondent that the increase in the price of the commodity was forcing them to readjust their level of consumption.

The farmers said they invested hugely during the last farming activities and needed to recover their expenditures and make gains, especially considering the prices of farming inputs in the market.

Jeji Elisha, a farmer in Jingir town, said, “It is a good development as farming inputs are very expensive. We have to sell it that way to get our money back. What I spent in the farm made me happy. If I buy fertiliser at a high price, definitely, I will also like to sell my maize at a high price.

Isa Muhammad, another farmer in Doguwa town of Doguwa Local Government Area of Kano State, also expressed joy over the hike. He said, “We are happy that the price of maize has increased. This is so because we spent a lot during the farming season; therefore, we need to recover what we spent.

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“All the farm inputs we bought for the farming were very expensive. We are happy with the price hike. It would give us the opportunity to go back to the farm next year. If you bought farming inputs at high prices, it is not bad if you sell your produce at a high. It is good for us.”

Salisu Ibrahim, a farmer in Doguwa Local Government Area, said he appreciated how the price of maize went up.

He said, “If other commodities are expensive, farm produce should also be expensive. If the price is not going up, we can be investigating out money in agriculture. We are thankful to Allah.”

Maize sellers in Jingir market largely attributed the development to the removal of fuel subsidy and other factors.

Asabat Kwanan Bauda, a maize dealer said, “Today in the market, we sold a bag of 100kg at N33,000. The hike could be connected to the increase in fuel price. Those that transport the commodity to the market have doubled their transportation fare. Added to that, there is scarcity of the commodity in the market.”

Yawale Isa, the chairman of the grain market in Jos explained the sudden increase, saying, “Maize is very expensive now, depending on the type you want. We have a bag of N32,000 and N31,000. The removal of the fuel subsidy is a factor because transport fare has increased. The crisis in Mangu, where maize is produced in large quantities, is also a contributing factor because people are scared of going there to buy the grain.”

Stakeholders in the popular Jingir market, located in Bassa Local Government Area of the state and one of the great grain markets in Nigeria, said that for the first time in the last three decades, the price of the commodity rose to N33,000 per bag of 100kg.

Residents who spoke with our correspondent said they looked forward to when the prices of maize and other commodities would come down to enable them buy sufficient food for their families.