The Chairman of the Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Kaduna State chapter, Kabiru Salihu, has said that subsidized farm inputs remain the best way to boost productivity and reduce the price of grains in the country.
Salihu, who spoke in an interview with journalists on Friday in Kaduna, said Nigerian farmers were capable of producing enough to feed the nation if adequately supported.
He appealed to the state government to sustain fertilizer distribution, stressing that such interventions would improve yields and enhance food security.
“The Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) introduced in 2016 enabled farmers to buy fertilizer at N5,500, which significantly improved production and stabilized prices.
“At that time, a bag of maize was between N8,000 and N9,000. Farmers and consumers alike were happy. If this gesture is reintroduced, I am confident a bag of maize could even go below N10,000,” he said.
The chairman argued that subsidizing farm inputs was more beneficial than grain importation, which he described as a short-term measure that undermines local producers.
He warned that with fertilizer prices currently ranging between N50,000 and N70,000, grain prices would continue to rise unless the government intervened with subsidies.
“Farmers are suffering. We are contributing to food security, and if government supports us through subsidized inputs, both producers and consumers will benefit,” he added.
Salihu urged government at all levels to prioritize farmers’ welfare as part of broader efforts to strengthen food security and ensure economic stability.
