The Cowpea and Beans Farmers Association of Nigeria has warned that low yields in the current harvest season may lead to an increase in the price of beans and cowpeas in the coming months.
The President of the association, Mr Kabir Shuaibu, disclosed this in an interview with reporters on Friday in Lagos.
Shuaibu said that the prices of beans and cowpeas were currently at their lowest levels due to the peak of the harvest season.
However, he noted that prices might rise slightly in the next few months because yields from the current harvest were lower compared with previous years.
“The price of beans is at its lowest presently because we are at the peak of the harvest,” he said.
“In the next two to three months, the price of beans may increase because the harvest season would be over by then.
“Currently, a 100kg bag of beans sells for between N90,000 and N120,000, depending on the variety.
“At this time last year, the same quantity sold for as high as N200,000 to N240,000 per bag,” Shuaibu said.
According to him, favorable rainfall in 2024 contributed to better yields and lower prices this year, but the 2025 harvest was not as bountiful.
“In 2024, the rains were good, which is why the price of beans is relatively low this year. However, the 2025 harvest is not as abundant as that of 2024,” he said.
Shuaibu explained that reduced yields were evident in many farms.
“For instance, where a farmer previously harvested about 50,000 bags of beans from a particular farmland, the same land is now yielding about 30,000 bags. This clearly shows a decline in production,” he said.
He added that once the peak harvest period ends, the reduced supply could trigger another increase in prices.
“It is not the farmers’ fault; the yields this season are simply lower than last year,” he said.
Shuaibu said the association would encourage farmers to adopt climate-smart agricultural practices to improve yields in future harvests.
He also advised consumers against panic buying, urging them to purchase only what they needed and store appropriately ahead of any anticipated price increase.
