Nigeria’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, has explained that increased food production under the current administration has lowered prices at the farm gate, but consumers are not yet seeing full benefits due to persistent gaps in processing, distribution, and other structural issues.
Speaking in an interview with ARISE NEWS, Kyari responded to concerns about the slow impact of agricultural reforms on market prices. He noted that while production has improved and farm-gate prices have fallen considerably (as reflected in National Bureau of Statistics data), agro-processing costs and inefficiencies between the farm and the market continue to keep retail prices elevated.
“However, even if you look at the NBS figures, you would see that agro-processing has not come down, but production has come down. Which means at the farm gate, prices have come down considerably,” Kyari said. “So, these are other gaps that need to be looked at. But we have tackled the production of food, and we have seen considerable success in that regard.”
RELATED POSTS: PDP Cross River Credits Wike and Presidential Candidate Onor for Party Cohesion and Success
Key Factors Keeping Prices High
Kyari highlighted several ongoing challenges:
• Rapid population growth of about 8–9 million people annually, which increases demand faster than supply can fully adjust.
• Low productivity in parts of the sector.
• Limited access to land.
• High cost of farm inputs.
He also pointed to the need to reduce reliance on imported processed foods through greater mechanisation, expanded local processing, and the development of Special Agro-Processing Zones (SAPZs). These zones are designed to cover the full value chain—production, aggregation, storage, processing, and marketing. Kyari indicated the government is moving into a second phase of the programme.
Improved security has enabled farmers to return to previously inaccessible farmlands, contributing to better output. The minister projected that the 2026 harvest would surpass the bumper harvest of 2025, with official production figures expected between October and November.
Broader Context
Food price pressures remain a major concern for Nigerian households. While farm-level gains are positive, the “last-mile” challenges—transport, storage losses, processing capacity, and market inefficiencies—often determine what consumers ultimately pay. Bridging these gaps is critical if production increases are to translate into more affordable food on market shelves and in homes.
The government’s focus on SAPZs and value addition aims to address exactly these bottlenecks by encouraging local processing rather than exporting raw produce or importing finished food items.
Sources: Interview with ARISE NEWS (as reported by multiple outlets including Punch and others on 18–19 September 2026). Readers are encouraged to check primary coverage for full context. 💛
Post a Comment