Lukman Abdulmalik
Farmers in Ungogo and Kumbotso Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Kano say the high cost of fertilizers and fuel this farming season could lead to a low harvest and an increase in the cost of farm produce.
Abdullahi a 56-year-old farmer of Panisau Bayan Gari, in Ungogo LGA, told STALLION TIMES during a survey visit to some farmers.
Lawan lamented that the high cost of fertilizer has drastically affected his farming activities for over 4 years.
In his words: “I have a hectare of land which I usually plant millet during the rainy season. Before, when fertilizer was at the cost of N4,000 to N5,000, I used to harvest over 60 bags of millet.
“But now I hardly harvest 20 bags of millet because I can’t afford the fertilizer anymore, as Urea is being sold between N18,000 to N21,000.
Umar Salim, 40 years old farmer of Agalawa in Ungogo LGA stressed that farming is becoming difficult day by day as most farmers are poor.
“Most farmers in the village cannot afford to farm because of their low capital, we the real farmers and owners of the farmlands have now become workers to city farmers who leased our farmlands. This is happening because of the high costs of farm inputs such as fertilizers and fuel,” he lamented.
The situation is the same in some communities of Kumbotso LGA as some farmers cried out over similar challenges which are limiting the productivity of the firmest forcing them not to achieve their desired goals.
Abdullahi Nura of Dan Danko in Kumbotso LGA explained that his rice farm is suffering from poor fertilizer input and low water supply.
“I was supposed to put at least 1bag of Urea and 1bag of Kampa fertilizer on this farmland, but due to the high cost of the fertilizer, I was only able to afford just half of a bag of each of the two fertilizers and this will seriously affect the productivity of the farm produce.”
“Currently I spend N12,000 on fuel every 4 days to power his generator to water his rice farm.
“In the past, I spend only N2,500 to water the rice farm every 4 days. The prices of fertilizers and fuel is hitting us very hard,” Nura added.
In a random fertilizer price survey in the LGAs, the price of NPK fertilizers in ranges from ₦25,000 to ₦30,000. And the price of a 50kg bag of NPK fertilizer ranges from ₦26,000 – ₦30,000 depending on the market where a farmer is buying from.
A 50kg bag of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer is selling for ₦28,000 – ₦30,000 and a 50kg bag of NPK 12:12:17 fertilizer ranges between ₦25,000 – ₦29,000 this also depends on the market.
However, in Sabon Gari market in Kano Metropolis, the price of 50kg NPK 15:15:15 is sold at 29,600.00, while 50kg NPK 12:12:17 is at the price of 29,500.00 and 50kg NPK 20:10:10 is sold at 26,000.00.
