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Musa Abdulahi, member, Commercial Farmers Association of Nigeria (CFAN), FCT chapter, is devastated due to a sudden decline in food prices. His story is not different from the lamentations of his colleagues.
This gave credence and total support to a 150 percent increase in the price of staple foods like rice, garri, beans, millet and yams before the sudden decline.
Over the past eight years, Musa made over N100 million, criss-crossing states, distributing farm produce to middlemen who sell to the consumers. He sees nothing wrong in a bag of rice being sold above the nation’s minimum wage. He has no problem with Nigeria banning the importation of food: “In Nigeria, consumers do not understand the huge amount of money involved in commercial farming. We, the farmers, spend a lot on preparing for the seasonal farming. What we are saying here is that this administration is turning things against farmers.
“This government has shown gross insensitivity to the plight of farmers in this country. President Bola Tinubu has shown that local farming will die sooner or later because there is no empowerment and encouragement. CFAN is doing everything possible to ensure that there is food security in this country, but instead of allowing local production, it opens the borders to bring junk in this country.
“These are all politics and a conspiracy to end the business of the North. The South knows that we are marginally holding the ace in commercial farming and that the North holds the key to unlock opportunities for food security in this country, which the late president Buhari enshrined by closing the borders and empowering farmers.
“What we are witnessing now is a contrast to that project. It is all politics when he claimed that Nigerians are hungry. I can tell you that farmers were doing relatively well during the last administration because the farmers were able to make supplies across the country.”
Mrs. Erica Francis sells yam tubers, rice and beans in Karu Market. She said: “Nothing is left to hope on with the steady nose-dive of prices of food items in the FCT and other parts of the country. Storage business is indeed a good business and sometimes it turns sour. This is one of those years because all my targets and dreams have been shattered.
“I was hoping to complete my family’s house after the sale, but even paying school fees has become difficult. Honestly, each day we count huge losses. During the harvest time, we bought at a high price, hoping that we would sell with a little increase to make a gain. We bought 50kg of beans at N300,000 and now the price has fallen below N150,000. We bought a bag of rice at N120,000, but the price has nosedived to N45,000. And such goes to corn and yams.”
Sylvester George, member, Food Storage Association (FSA), FCT, said: “We have always gotten money from the banks to get involved in the storage business each year, but unfortunately, this is different. The bank has called to remind me of the time to pay back. But irrespective of the unfortunate situation, I must pay back and, right now, my life is in God’s hands.”
One man’s meat, they say, is another man’s poison, as consumers are fervently praying for a steady decline in prices of staple foods. Michael Onoja, parent of five children, said that the eight years of the Buhari administration saw families living in penury just in the effort to empower a certain group of people who have no compassion for others:
“Imagine those idiots, so they even dare to accuse Tinubu of being considerate. Come to think of it, what were they able to offer in the eight years of the Buhari administration? Were they not enjoying the pains of many Nigerians? While many died of hunger, a few individuals rejoiced over high prices of food items.
“I’m happy that the prices of food items are nose-diving. At least, a mudu of rice is considered at N1300, while that of beans is N1400. So what are we talking about? I also heard that 50 kg of rice is presently sold at N45,000, depending on the quality, but that is a 50 per cent reduction.
“Presently, people can manage to buy a bag at the price of N25,000. And I can assure you that other items, such as corn, garri, guinea corn and flour, have their prices reduced due to market forces.”
Mrs Lucy Olu-Kayode, a civil servant, said: “Let them stop complaining, let’s think in this world that everybody cannot be happy at the same time. In the eight years of Buhari’s administration, farmers and food sellers were making money out of dirty rice and corn they were selling and the masses were crying. Today, the tide has turned against them, so let them bear it.”
Elder Cyril Nchekwaram, a retiree now a trader, is counting losses: “I had a plan to retire well. Before I started, we made a list of all these items. We bought at high prices but are now selling lower than we bought. As someone who is new to this business, it is not the best of experiences after buying on the high side, as I struggle to sell lower than the cost price. Nevertheless, we all pray that the country should be good for all.”
Meanwhile, FCT farmers with their present experience, are not contemplating going back to farming next season with a steady nose-dive in prices. Usman Lerre in Jikwoyi, said: “I am not making plans to go back to work next year because it is not wise to spend on chemicals, fertilizers, and labour and count losses. Maybe we have to wait until the price of food comes up a little bit.”
