Farmers in Taraba State are smiling to the banks as prices of harvested paddy rice, melon (egusi) and sesame (Beniseed) have skyrocketed in the state.
Findings revealed that a 100kg bag of newly harvested Beniseed is sold at the rate of N80,000 to N85,000.
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Similarly, a 100kg bag of newly harvested melon sells for between N55,000 and N60,000 while a bag of paddy rice goes for N20,000 to N22,000.
Farmers interviewed told Daily Trust on Sunday that the price of Beniseed and melon is the highest recorded in recent years in the state.
The highest prices for sesame and melon in recent years was N30,000 and N40,000 respectively, our findings revealed.
One of the farmers, Alhaji Adamu Saidu, said Beniseed and melon farmers have witnessed bumper harvest and there is also high demand for the produce which gave them good price.
He said the two crops do not require fertiliser and can be grown twice a year in the state.
Adamu Saidu stated that some farmers are now preparing to plant Beniseed and water melon for the second time in the present farming season after harvesting the one they planted earlier.
A student of the University of Maiduguri Musa Muktari told Daily Trust on Sunday that he used the period of the current strike by ASSU to engage himself in the farm and he harvested 100 bags of sesame.
Musa revealed that he made close to N9m from the sale of beniseed he harvested from his farm. Both beniseed and water melon take two months from planting to maturity, making them a farmer’s delight across the state.
A large-scale farmer, Ali Maihula, disclosed that each year he harvests between 300 and 400 bags of beniseed and watermelon but this year’s harvest was the highest he has recorded in recent years.
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