Many farmers in rural communities across Niger State say falling produce prices and rising production costs have pushed them into debt, with some facing threats of arrest from creditors despite recording good harvests this season, Daily Trust reports.
The farmers said the sharp decline in prices of staple crops has made it difficult to recover investments made during the planting season, blaming government policies aimed at lowering food prices for consumers for exposing local producers to losses.
According to them, inadequate rural infrastructure, limited access to affordable credit, poor storage facilities, and weak market linkages have worsened their situation.
Some farmers said they are struggling to service loans obtained for seeds, fertiliser, and labour, noting that lenders have begun applying harsh recovery measures.
“Prices of what we produce keep falling, while everything we buy is becoming more expensive,” one of the farmers said. “You borrow money to farm, harvest well, and still cannot repay.”
The farmers added that personal plans tied to the harvest season have been abandoned, including intentions to perform the Hajj, renovate homes, or purchase motorcycles for easier access to farms.
While consumers have welcomed the drop in food prices, the farmers said rising fuel costs have increased transportation expenses, further shrinking their profit margins.
In Gbako Local Government Area, Mallam Hussaini Abdullahi said the situation contrasts sharply with previous years.
He recalled that in one village, 17 farmers were able to pay for Hajj seats in 2025 through proceeds from farm produce sales, but none has done so this year despite a bumper harvest.
A staff member of the Niger State Pilgrims Welfare Board confirmed that fewer farmers have made deposits for the 2026 pilgrimage compared to the previous year.
Similarly, Mohammed Sani Idris Kodo, a farmer in Bosso Local Government Area, warned that the crisis could worsen rural–urban migration.
“Next farming season, many farmers may not return to their fields,” he said. “Farming is a business, and right now farmers are operating at a loss. A bag of paddy rice sells for between N30,000 and N40,000. How can loans be repaid?”
Female farmers also expressed concern. Zara’u Usman from Bosso said the gap between food prices and household needs had become unbearable.
“A mudu of millet is N350, but a bottle of palm oil costs N2,000,” she said. “Meeting basic needs has become difficult.”
Another farmer, Jamila Ibrahim, said she had abandoned plans to improve her living conditions.
“I wanted to buy a new bed, but I was told it costs N250,000,” she said. “Yet a bag of maize is now selling for N20,000.”
In Beji community, Abbas Audu said economic hardship had forced five of his siblings to postpone their weddings due to high building material costs.
“We planned to build rooms for the brides, but zinc, nails, and cement are too expensive,” he said. “Some people now use thatch because zinc is beyond their reach.”
The farmers blamed the crisis largely on government food importation policies aimed at curbing inflation, which they said had flooded markets and reduced demand for locally produced crops.
Findings indicate that the impact is already affecting dry-season irrigation farming, with many farmers reducing production or abandoning their fields.
Alhaji Mahmud Bala Egge, Secretary of the All Farmers Association in Wushishi Local Government Area, said falling prices and high input costs have forced him to scale down operations.
He said that after cultivating 15 hectares of rice during the last dry season, he is currently struggling to manage just one hectare.
Market operators also expressed concern. Murtala Yusuf, Chairman of the Grain Sellers Association at Gunu Market, said the situation was unfair.
“I borrowed N100,000 when a bag of white beans sold for N100,000,” he said. “That same bag now sells for N35,000. Coping has become difficult.”
Experts warned that continued price instability could threaten food security. Prof. Olalekan Busra Sakariyau, an agribusiness expert and Africa representative of Family and Care Farm, Germany, urged the government to rethink its strategy.
“Importing foodstuffs is not sustainable,” he said. “Value addition through processing and improved storage is key to protecting farmers from price shocks.”
Sakariyau added that Nigeria loses about 40 per cent of its food annually—particularly fruits and other perishables—due to inadequate storage and processing facilities.
