…In Bauchi too
From Balarabe Alkassim, Bauchi
Residents of Bauchi have raised the alarm that some people suspected to be agents of agroallied companies have been going round the state mopping up farm produce as farmers begin harvest.
According to residents who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday, some farm produce especially rice, maize and sorghum were the major targets of the agents, who buy them in large quantities. It was gathered that prices of food items had started going up because of fear that the targeted staples would soon become scarce.
It was also gathered that the company agents go to remote villages with money to entice the farmers even before they harvest the produce.
According to a source in Hardawa village, some farmers were being given money upfront for their yet to be harvested crops.
An official of the Bauchi State Ministry of Agriculture, who spoke to our reporter by telephone, on condition of anonymity, confirmed the development.
He said a town hall meeting was recently organized by the Bauchi Radio Corporation to sensitize people on the development.
According to him, the meeting which was attended by traditional rulers, community leaders, markets leadership and other stakeholders was aimed at taking measures to curtail the activities of the people that were buying up farm produce in the state which is pushing up their prices.
When contacted by telephone, chairman of Muda Lawal Market Traders Association, Alhaji Mika’il Abubakar Garba, said they had been raising alarm over the development.
“We have been getting reports about the activities of the companies, mostly rice mills buying up rice from farmers while other companies making animal feeds are also buying up sorghum, soya beans and other crops.
“It is a big surprise that as at now, the harvesting season, a bag of maize is being sold at N11,000 which is very unusual at a time like this. Although the year began with shortages of foodstuff due the closure of Nigeria’s border, the activities of those people is aggravating the situation,” he said.