News in brief:
– Ginger farmers in Bwari lost over ₦12 billion due to a fungal outbreak in several ginger farms and now face seedling shortages.
– Many farmers are unable to afford inputs for the 2025 season, calling for urgent government and stakeholder support.
Ginger farmers in the Bwari Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) are raising alarm over the possible challenge to their readiness for the 2025 ginger planting season. This follows staggering losses of over ₦12 billion in 2024 caused by a fungal disease that swept across ginger farms the previous year.
The affected farmers, still reeling from the impact, have called for immediate government intervention and support from stakeholders to save the ginger farming sub-sector from total collapse.
Fungal outbreak in ginger farms crippled 2023 harvest
The root of the crisis lies in a severe fungal outbreak that hit ginger farms in 2023, resulting in widespread damage and disrupting production across affected areas. The Federal Government estimates that the fallout from the disease led to a combined loss exceeding ₦12 billion by 2024.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Philip Akuso, a ginger farmer in the area, said that the situation remains dire. He described the outlook for 2025 as uncertain, estimating only a 50-50 chance of successful yields.
“Since the 2023 outbreak, there has been a noticeable scarcity of ginger in the market, and prices have continued to soar,” he said.
Skyrocketing prices limit access to quality seedlings
Due to the difficulty in accessing healthy seedlings, ginger prices have surged. Akuso noted that by December 2024, a bag of ginger was selling for ₦350,000, but prices rose as high as ₦800,000 earlier this year. As of now, a bag costs about ₦700,000.
He added that many farmers are still financially crippled and unable to invest in the upcoming season. While some have been able to source seedlings from ginger-producing areas like Kachia and Jaba in Southern Kaduna, the majority in Bwari lack the funds to do the same.
“If you ask me, I’d say only the wealthy can afford to go into ginger production right now,” Akuso said. “It requires a lot of capital, especially to get quality seedlings.”
Insecurity and financial hardship compound challenges
Beyond the lack of seedlings, farmers in Bwari are also facing increasing insecurity and financial hardship. Akuso explained that while Kaduna farmers had better yields in 2024 and stored both ginger and seedlings, many in Bwari recorded near-total losses.
Nevertheless, he expressed cautious optimism. “We remain hopeful that we will have a good yield by the end of the year,” he stated
Somo Yakubu, another farmer in Kawu-Bwari, said he was fortunate to save two bags from the previous harvest to use for the 2025 season. He added that some farmers in the area were spared early damage from the disease, allowing partial harvests before the fungus struck.
Yakubu joined others in calling for urgent government assistance, urging authorities to invest in research for disease-resistant seedlings and provide financial and technical support to affected farmers.
“The government must act quickly to help us get back on our feet,” Yakubu said.
