Wheat farmers in Katsina State have, in this dry season, recorded bumper harvests, a development that is far better than what was obtained last year, Daily Trust reports.
According to the farmers, the success was a result of early planting which most of them adopted and the uninterrupted, favourable harmattan season that ran for four months.
Malam Zakariya Funtua, a wheat farmer in Barebari, said weather fluctuation, said to be a result of the effect of global warming, was the major threat to wheat farming.
"Last year, we suffered an excessive heat wave that crisscrossed our wheat production period, hence it affected our yield. This year, we were lucky from November to February there was sustained cold weather that was advantageous to wheat production, and many of us planted early to meet the weather timeframe and God has been so kind that we recorded a bumper harvest," Zakariya Funtua said.
He added that this year he got over 24 bags from the same farm that gave them 13 bags last year.
On whether the farmers benefited from the FG's intervention in wheat farming, Malam Zakariya said the majority of the local farmers raised their capital for the production.
"There were beautiful programmes initiated by the federal government, but the problem remains how to reach out to local farmers in the nook and crannies of the country. A select few, mostly in urban areas, hijack such programmes and engage in round-tripping and connivance to misappropriate the inputs meant for the farmers.
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"If such programmes were judiciously implemented right from the regime of President Buhari, Nigeria would not be in this economic mess," Zakariya said.
In Dandume, Bakori and Funtua grain markets, this reporter discovered that the price of wheat per 100kg in this harvest season started on a good note compared to last year.
Haruna Sani, a wheat dealer at Dandume Market, said the price started at N70,000 per bag, but as the supply increased in the market, it now went down to N65,000.
"Last year, farmers suffered two folds; poor harvest and poor market price as the peak price of the produce was N60,000 and it started at N35,000. Now for those who store it, they might sell it at N80,000 or N90,000 in the next four to five months."
Sani added that there were indications that wheat farmers might increase the volume of their production in the next dry season.
"This year, wheat farmers are happy and gearing up for maximum production next year, especially as major grains up-takers like Olam have indicated interest to commence purchasing wheat in Katsina markets from next year," Haruna Sani said.
Alhaji Murnai Dandume, a retired agricultural worker and agro-products dealer, said for government interventions to have a meaningful impact on the real farmers, the government needs to liaise with grassroots farmers through forming associations.
"There is a need to work with agric departments of each LGA to network local farmers in each of the areas so that associations of the real farmers can be formed agricultural decisions and policies can be formed with their inputs and interventions can be reached out to them easily," Alhaji Murnai said.
