Flood: Food prices soar in Kebbi

In Kebbi state, the prices of food items have reached the roof top following last year’s flood disaster that destroyed 80 percent of fadama land.

Blueprint findings at Kara grains market in Birnin Kebbi revealed that prices of food items such as rice, millet, sorghum and maize have skyrocketed beyond the reach of the poor. 

It was learnt that the 2020 flood disaster has entrenched hunger and poverty amongst many farming families in the state as they lost all their farm produce to the flood.

It further revealed that a bag of 50 kg parboiled rice is sold at N22,500, a bag of millet at N22,500 while maize and guinea corn are sold at N18.500 each.

Farms where rice, beans, millets and sorghum were cultivated were all submerged by last year’s flooding, a situation that forced many families to experience untold hardship as results of zero-purchasing power.

It showed that many rice farmers had since resolved to partake in water melon and onion production as a remedy to alleviate their sufferings.

Some farmers who spoke with our correspondent lamented their situation as very bad and becoming unbearable; to the extent that they can hardly afford one square mill.

A resident, Malam Aliyu Auta Kofar Kola said, “We are really facing a difficult time that only God can salvage us. I was calculating to harvest at least 80 bags of paddy rice after last year’s harvest but unfortunately I did not realise a single bag.”

 According to him, the situation had made many rice farmers to relocate to the neighbouring Niger and Kwara states in search of greener pastures, saying: “It is necessary to flee. Many of us have since secured land and planted rice in our new places of abode.”

Efforts to get the comment of the newly appointed state Commissioner of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alhaji Maigari Abdullahi ,proved abortive as he was said to have traveled out of the state.

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