Expressing concerns over the N12 billion loss incurred by ginger farmers due to a fungal disease outbreak, Senator Barr. Sunday Marshall Katung of Kaduna-South warned of Nigeria’s potential loss of its position as the world’s second-largest ginger producer if farmers are not compensated.
Recall that AgroNigeria had reported the outbreak of the ginger blight epidemic in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory as confirmed by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi. Preliminary estimates indicate that farmers in southern Kaduna alone suffered losses exceeding N12 billion.
At a one-day workshop organized by the Senate Committee on Capital Market in collaboration with the Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange in Abuja, Senator Katung, representing the Southern Kaduna Senatorial Zone, lamented that ginger farmers may refrain from farming during the approaching rainy season if not compensated for their losses.
He emphasized the need for compensation to encourage farmers to return to their fields. Failure to do so, he warned, could lead to disinterest in farming, potentially causing Nigeria to lose its global standing as the second-largest producer of ginger.
“The losses incurred by ginger farmers due to the fungal pathogen outbreak during the last farming season were monumental,” Senator Katung stressed. “Compensating them is crucial to incentivize their return to farming. Without compensation, farmers may lose interest in agriculture, jeopardizing our country’s position in the world.”
