Price of yam crashes in Niger markets

The price of yam has crashed tremendously in Niger State as farmers begin to flood markets.

A check at major yam markets, including that of Paiko, the headquarters of Paikoro Local Government Area, as well as  Gwari and Gwadabe markets in Minna, the state capital, revealed that the price of the commodity crashed with over 30 per cent. 

One of the farmers and a seller in Paiko market, Mohammed Salihu, told our correspondent that 100 tubers of a yam specie, popularly known as kwariya in Hausa, which cost N200,000 before the coming of new yam, is now sold at N40,000 and N70,000, depending on sizes.

He said although many farmers were yet to bring out their yams as they were still enjoying the sales from bumper harvest of soya beans, they hope the buyers would enjoy the new price before it goes up  from January when preparation for new planting season would begin.

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Farmers said that despite the security challenges that bedeviled major yam farming communities in Munya, Paikoro, Shiroro, Rafi and other local governments, farmers experienced good harvest this year.

Investigation by Daily Trust on Sunday also revealed that the migration of a large number of Gbagyi farmers from security-infested local government areas of Shiroro, Munya, Rafi and Paikoro during the last rainy season to Nupe-speaking areas in Niger South, where there are large expanses of fertile lands and a bit safer to engage in yam production, was responsible for the bumper harvest.

Mohammed Musa, a customer, also confirmed to Daily Trust on Sunday at Gwadabe market, Minna that he bought 10 tubers of yam at N3,500, saying, “Before now, it would have cost you between N8,000 and N9,000. The price of yam has actually come down.”

Another customer, Liman Mohammed, said eight big tubers of yam he bought few weeks ago at N6,000 cost about N12,000 during the rainy season.

Another customer, Abubakar Yahaya said, “In separate occasions, the tubers of yam I bought at N1,500 and N2,000 would have cost N3,000 and N5,000.”

Also speaking, Yakubu Mustapha said the price of the commodity crashed as new produce flooded the market.