Cassava Farmers Lament Poor Returns Amid Rising Production Costs

News in Brief:

-Cassava farmers say rising production costs and poor market prices are making farming increasingly unprofitable despite months of labour and investment.

-Many blame middlemen, weak market access, and poor infrastructure for low returns and are calling for stronger government support and better pricing systems.

Many cassava farmers in Nigeria say rising production costs and poor market prices are making farming increasingly unsustainable, despite the country’s position as one of the world’s largest cassava producers.

A farmer recently shared that a full truckload of cassava in his area sold for just ₦45,000 as of May 9, sparking conversations online about the realities facing smallholder farmers.

According to him, producing about 1,000 heaps of cassava, enough to fill a truckload, requires significant investment. Land clearing alone costs around ₦6,000, while making heaps costs ₦9,000. Planting requires another ₦5,000, weed control through herbicides costs about ₦5,000, harvesting after more than a year costs ₦7,000, and transportation to the market adds another ₦7,000.

Combined, the total production cost reaches roughly ₦39,000 to ₦40,000 before accounting for labour, time, risks, and losses farmers endure throughout the farming season.

“After over one year of waiting, stress, sweat, and patience, the highest you may sell that cassava for is ₦50,000,” the farmer lamented.

Several contributors blamed middlemen for the poor returns farmers receive. They argued that traders often buy produce directly from farmers at near-cost prices before reselling at significantly higher rates to consumers.

Others pointed to poor road infrastructure and limited direct access to markets as major factors reducing farmers’ profits. Some farmers also highlighted the need for stronger cooperatives and direct partnerships with processors to eliminate exploitative pricing systems.

In Calabar, another farmer disclosed that a bag of cassava currently sells for about ₦10,000, compared to ₦20,000 to ₦25,000 last year.

Many observers say the situation is discouraging young people from entering agriculture, despite growing calls for food security and increased local production.