Consumers Celebrate Cheaper Rice, Tomatoes — But Farmers Warn of Exodus From Fields if Support Fails
When the Federal Government announced a bold move to crash food prices nationwide, jubilation swept through major markets from Lagos to Kano, Port Harcourt to Jos. For millions of struggling families, the long climb of food inflation finally seemed to ease.
But while traders and shoppers cheered, the reaction from Nigeria’s farmlands was starkly different. From Plateau to Kaduna, Benue to Ogun, farmers warned that the government’s intervention, if not carefully managed, could crush them under the weight of soaring production costs.
> “I understand the hunger in the land. But if the government forces prices down without supporting us, it’s like asking a man to pour from an empty cup,” said Dan Ashoms, an Irish potato farmer in Plateau’s Barkin Ladi.
Ashoms, trudging through his maize field with boots caked in mud, pointed at crops already stressed by erratic rainfall. “Next year, many will quit. They’ll move to the city to ride Keke. At least there, no one forces you to work at a loss.”
Across Nigeria’s agricultural belts, the complaints are the same: fertiliser at ₦40,000 per bag, skyrocketing transportation costs, insecurity on rural roads, and poor infrastructure choking profits.
“When fertiliser hit ₦40,000 per bag, we kept quiet. Now they want to crash prices? Who will bear the loss?” asked Marie Pam, who manages a small vegetable farm in Jos North.
Her frustration deepens as she adds: “They didn’t consult us. How can you fix food prices without talking to the people who grow it?”
In contrast, urban markets painted a picture of relief. At Katako Market in Jos, smiles returned to weary shoppers.
“Rice is already ₦3,000 cheaper this week. Finally, something good is happening,” said Hauwa Mohammed, clutching her purchase with joy.
Civil servant Hassan Dogo echoed the sentiment: “My salary hasn’t increased in years, but food kept getting more expensive. This intervention is a lifeline.”
For millions of households across the country, cheaper food means more meals, less hunger, and renewed hope.
Agricultural experts, however, fear that the government’s celebrated move may backfire.
“A price crash without farmer support is like giving out loans with no repayment plan. Farmers might survive one season, but not two,” warned Dan Yakubu, an agriculturalist based in Jos.
He insists that subsidies, grants, and guaranteed off-take arrangements must accompany price controls to prevent a mass withdrawal from farming.
The Federal Government insists it is not blind to these risks.
Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, explained that a special committee is working to slash transportation costs — a major driver of food inflation.
“If you know the amount of money spent moving commodities before they reach markets, you’ll understand why food is so expensive,” he noted.
He further outlined upcoming initiatives, including the Farmer Soil Health Scheme and a cooperative reform programme aimed at mobilising resources and strengthening grassroots producers.
“Mr. President has shown tremendous interest in the cooperative sector as a veritable tool for economic activity generation and improving members’ livelihoods,” Abdullahi added.
For now, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. Urban families welcome cheaper food prices, but rural farmers fear ruin if left to shoulder the burden alone.
The government’s next steps could determine not just this year’s harvest but the future of the nation’s food security.
From the crowded stalls of Lagos to the potato ridges of Plateau, Nigerians wait — some smiling, others anxious — watching as Abuja tries to balance the hunger in the cities with the hardship in the countryside.
PIONEER NEWS 