The All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Lagos State Chapter, has attributed the rising cost of food items in the country to the activities of middlemen and increasing transportation costs.
The Acting Chairman of AFAN in Lagos State, Mr. Sakin Agbayewa, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Thursday in Lagos.
Agbayewa said middlemen often exploit festive periods to hoard and resell food items at exorbitant prices.
“There is no doubt that food prices are currently rising across the country, but some of the factors are man-made.
“We are approaching the Ileya (Sallah) celebration, and foodstuff, especially vegetables, usually become more expensive during festive periods.
“The middlemen are already buying up food items and reselling them at higher prices. This has become a recurring trend during major celebrations,” he said.
He urged the government at all levels to take deliberate steps to curb the activities of middlemen and prevent exploitation of consumers during festive seasons.
The AFAN chairman also linked the rise in food prices to global supply chain disruptions affecting fertiliser availability.
According to him, the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Iran, and Israel has affected the importation of fertilisers, thereby increasing production costs for farmers.
“Ships are not coming in as expected. Fertilisers are scarce and the little available is expensive.
“However, we are aware that the government, through the National Agricultural Development Fund and the Lagos State Government, is planning to distribute free fertilisers to farmers,” he said.
Agbayewa further identified high transportation costs as a major contributor to the increase in food prices.
“The cost of moving food items from farms to markets has increased significantly, and this is reflected in market prices.
“The government needs to address the rising logistics costs before the situation worsens,” he said.
He stressed the need to safeguard farmers and farmlands to ensure national food security.
According to him, increased agricultural productivity will promote food security, employment, and national stability.
“When there is food security, there is peace of mind, employment, and security in the country,” Agbayewa said.
