Business
SOME farmers have decried the high cost of yam seedlings in some major markets in the Enugu metropolis.
The farmers decried the high prices in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Enugu.
NAN Correspondent, who conducted a market survey on the cost of seedlings, observed that farmers, who came to buy seedlings, were complaining over the high cost of yam seedlings.
Some of them told NAN that pries of all species and sizes of yam seedlings have gone up when compared with the prices in April.
A farmer at the New Market, Mr Gaius Egwuonwu, told NAN that he bought a medium size yam seedling for N60 around April 29 and the same size is now being sold for between N70 and N80.
“I bought the small size of yam seedling at N60 per one and the smallest among the sizes in the market was sold for N30 per seedling two weeks ago.
“But now, their prices have increased to N80 and N40 respectively,’’ Egwuonwu said.
At Garki Market, another farmer, Mrs Uju Orabueze, said she could not buy the quantity she wanted as the size she came for, had increased to N100 per seedling as against N80 some weeks back.
“With the current price, I can buy only 20 seedlings as against my previous budget of 35,’’ she said.
Another farmer, Mr Cletus Nwoye, said most farmers tried to preserve yam seedlings from previous harvest season due to the high cost of seedlings during planting period.
“Usually, by this time of the year, yam farmers experience insufficient supply and high cost of yam seedlings.
“So, some tried to preserve seedlings from the previous harvest,’’ he said.
Mrs Vera Elosi, a dealer in yam seedlings at the New Market, said that the prices of yam seedlings were high at this time of the year.
According to her, this is because yam seedlings are out-of-stock since 2019 yam harvesting season is over.
“Every farm produce has its season of planting and harvesting; for yam, both its seedlings and tubers are now expensive,’’ she said. (NAN)
– May 15, 2020 @ 12:55 GMT |
Tags: Farmers decry high cost of yam seedlings in Enugu
