Reps probe Into sharp drop in farm produce prices

By Christiana Ekpa

The House of Representatives has initiated an investigation into the persistent decline in the prices of farm produce across Nigeria, expressing concern over its impact on farmers’ livelihoods, national food security, and nutrition.
.At plenary on Wednesday, lawmakers resolved to examine the root causes of the price crash affecting key agricultural commodities, including cassava, rice, yam, and other staple crops.
The House also mandated relevant committees to assess the broader economic consequences on farmers who continue to incur heavy production costs amid falling market returns.
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Bamidele Salam, who warned that the ongoing price slump is inflicting severe financial losses on farmers, many of whom depend on loans, cooperatives, and expensive farm inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, agrochemicals, labour, and transportation.
Salam noted that agriculture remains a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economy, providing employment, sustaining rural livelihoods, and contributing significantly to national food supply.
However, he lamented that the absence of structured off-take systems, weak storage infrastructure, and inadequate agro-processing capacity has worsened post-harvest losses and market instability.
Lawmakers further expressed concern that if the situation persists, it could discourage agricultural investment, force farmers out of production, and heighten Nigeria’s dependence on food imports, with serious implications for food security and rural development.
The House therefore urged the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to collaborate with relevant agencies to urgently design and implement intervention measures.
These include structured off-take arrangements, price support systems, expansion of strategic grain reserves, and improved agro-processing zones to stabilize farm gate prices.
Members also called for the development of a sustainable agricultural price stabilization framework to protect farmers’ investments, enhance productivity, and ensure fair returns, while safeguarding national nutrition and food availability.