The plight of ginger farmers has been brought to light by Senator Sunday Marshall Katung, who represents Southern Kaduna. He voiced concerns about Nigeria potentially losing its standing as the world’s second-largest ginger producer unless farmers receive compensation for their losses.
A staggering amount of N12 billion in goods was lost to a fungal disease that devastated ginger crops in the region. The Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi, confirmed the outbreak of the ginger blight epidemic impacting regions such as Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory.
Initial assessments indicate that farmers in Southern Kaduna bore the brunt of the losses, amounting to over N12 billion. Senator Katung, speaking at a workshop jointly organized by the Senate Committee on Capital Market and the Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange in Abuja, emphasized the urgency of compensating ginger farmers.
He expressed the view that without adequate compensation, farmers may not be inclined to resume cultivation as the rainy season nears. The Senator warned that Nigeria’s global standing as a significant ginger producer could be at risk.
The Senator remarked, “The repercussions of the fungal outbreak on ginger farming during the last season were severe. It is crucial to incentivize farmers through compensation to motivate them to resume agricultural activities. Failing to do so may lead to a decline in farming enthusiasm and jeopardize Nigeria’s status in the global market.”