Food Security: Taraba Farmers Decry Substandard Agro-chemical As Low Harvest Looms

Farmers in Taraba state on Tuesday decried the high supply of substandard agrochemicals for this year’s farming season.

The farmers who also decried the hike in prices of herbicides which according to them have tripled in prices as compared to last year’s farming season lamented that the substandard supply of the herbicide in the state has discouraged many farmer’s morale for large farming activities.

Mr. Cletus Tyoapine, Danjuma Aji and Ada Zanya, both told our correspondent that non of the herbicide was effective even with the measurements of 300mg per 20Ltr knapsack sprayer.

“The possibility of hunger in Taraba state in 2023 is now 70 per cent. Our moral for farming this year is low because of fake herbicides been supplied to the state.

“All the agro herbicides supplied to Taraba for this year’s farming season are fake.

“None of the herbicide is effective, even when we resolved to be measuring 300mg per 20 Ltr of knapsack sprayer as against 150- 200mg per 20Ltr knapsack sprayer.

“Prices of the commodity itself is discouraging. They have tripled in their prices and we can’t continue buying fake products that are not giving us the desired result.

“The results of these chemicals to us farmers in Taraba is worst than anything bad you think of. I want to tell you that the ineffectiveness of the herbicides is not just a threat to food security but also to the academic future of our children.

“Farming is the only business we do to pay our children’s school fees and feed our families. But the frustrations by this fake agrochemicals in this year farming season is highly worrisome and the possibility of hunger in Taraba state is now 70 per cent” The farmers decried.

Reacting to the development, chairman All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Taraba state chapter, Comr. Bala Aji lamented the ineffectiveness of the commodity as it was a threat to food security in the state.

Aji disclosed that he had contacted dealers of the commodities to reach out to producers of the products for amendment after receiving complaints from many associates.

He also disclosed that three persons have been arrested while trying to supply more substandard agrochemical products to the state.

The chairman however commended the Taraba state government for recently supporting farmers in the state with inputs to boost farm production.