Maize farmers in Giwa and Sabon Gari Local Government areas have expressed fear over anticipated post harvest loss in this year's farming season.
They attributed high spate of insecurity as major factor couple with some human natural factors that negate high level yield of maize production in most of parts of the farming community.
Our correspondant who visited Tohu village, a renown maize farming community of Sabon gari local government area of Kaduna state spoke with some farmers who identified factors that may lead to low level production of Maize this farming season.Theillage head of Tohu, Mallam Yusuf Tukur said maize farmers has faced several challenges this year.
He said though, the farmers were not seriously affected by insecurity yet farmers at the beginning of farming season were reluctant to invest heavily in maize farming due to the fear of banditry activities that may eventually encroach into their area.
A member of the Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria, Sabon Gari local government branch, Alhaji Iliyasu Aliyu Shika Dam said in the past, he used to cultivate between 80-100 bags of maize at the end of each harvest year, but however predicted low level production this year. .Heexplained that, exo.rbitant price of assorted fertilizer that doubled it amount this year couple with the eventual dreaded worms that invaded most maize farms in the area will surely prevent farmers from recording high yield of maize during harvest.
Mallamxpressed fear that maize scarcity looms in the country at the end of this year's farming season.
A peasant maize farmer also in Tohu village, Mallam Ahmed Musa Tohu said if not because of the cost of purchasing power of assorted fertilizer this year, maize farmers would have smile home after harvesting this year.
He attributed that the abundant rainfall recorded in all parts of kaduna state, will have produce a bumper harvest to all farmers in the state, which is the highest production base of maize farming in the country.
Mallam however anticipated serious losses for maize farmers, explaining that currently the market price of maize per bag is now between N8,000 to N9,000 when a bag of Urea fertilizer is about N25,000 and NPK about N30,000.
He noted that failure of government to intervene and enforced control on the high cost of assorted fertilizer negate the farming zeal and prowess of maize farmers in the state.
Also commenting, A large scale maize farmer in the state and Secretary General, Board of Trustees, National Maize Commodity Buyers and Sellers of Maize, Alhaji Salisu Nuhu Mai Masara predicted shortage of maize commodity and high market price of maize this year.
He said maize farmers had suffered alot this years to the extent that majority of them had abandoned maize farming and opted for other crops that demands low quantity of fertilizer.
Mai Masara observed that some dreaded worms have invaded maize farms eating the roots and making the crops look redish in colour thereby hindering growth of the crop.
He anticipated deeper economic crunch due to the low level of maize production in the country.
According to him, most companies would experience low supply of raw materials due low level production and therefore will have to reduce production capacity.
He expressed fear that even job losses may also be recorded in such processing companies because of inadequate production output.
Salisu Mai Masara blamed Government for exporting assorted fertilizer to some neighbouring countries when the demand is high among Nigerian farmers.
Meanwhile, people choice reporter observed that though there was low level of rainfall at the beginning of this year's farming season, the rain had stabilized as the farming season picked up.
While enlighten maize farmers had resolved to purchasing pecticides and herbicides at very extorbitant rate just to ameliorate the harmful effects of the dreaded worms eating the roots of maize in order to record bumper harvest.