A man spraying herbicides
The prices of agricultural inputs, such as fertilisers, herbicides and varieties of improved seeds for 2021 farming season have remained stable in Adamawa, the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports.
A NAN market survey at Jimeta Ultra-Modern Market, Grains Market in Jambutu and Perishables Market along Mubi bypass, shows that the inputs recorded almost zero per cent price increase.
Speaking with NAN on Monday on the issue, Alhaji Usman Bapullo, National, Vice Chairman, Agro Dealers, North East, attributed the stability in price to Federal Government’s agricultural policy.
“In 2020, the 50 kg bag of Urea fertiliser (Indorama) was sold at N11,500 , while NPK 20-10-10 bag of 50 kg was sold for N8,000.
“However, we are now selling the commodities at a cost of N12,000 and N8,500 respectively, which means there is increase of only 0.04 per cent’’ Bapullo said.
He noted that similar percentage increment was recorded on agrochemicals and improved seeds.
Bapullo said that one litre of Glyphosate or Gramazone for herbicides clearance, sold at N1, 600 in 2020 is now N1, 700 which is only 0.06 per cent increase.
“Improved maize and rice variety seeds are currently sold at N500 and N600 for one kilogramme of maize and rice, respectively,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Adamu Aliyu, a small scale farmer from Mubi, attributed the stability in price of the inputs to rapid and large increase in local agricultural inputs production.
“Presently, we are experiencing mass local production of fertilisers, increase in indigenous agrochemicals and improved seeds production.
“The Federal Government’s policy implementation on local agricultural inputs production has recorded huge success’’ Aliyu said.
In his own contribution, Dr Albert Ibrahim, an Agronomist and agro-allied consultant based in Yola, rated the Federal Government’s local agricultural inputs production policy as excellent.
Ibrahim, however, advised the government to review some of its agricultural intervention programmes, especially those under Central Bank of Nigeria.
“The best solution, which is being practiced everywhere in the world is for government to implement and provide standard agricultural subsidy for farmers.
“Also, state governments should emulate Federal Government for actualisation of National Food Security Programme,’’ he said.
