Contrary to the claims of the chairman, Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme (TCNYE), Prof. Simon Irtwange that the exportation of yam will not affect local consumption of the produce and its price, indications have emerged that both the exportation and security disruptions from killer-Fulani herdsmen in yam communities are responsible for the high price of yam tubers across the Nigerian major markets.
After several postponements, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on June 29, shipped the first 70 tonnes of yam to United Kingdom and since then, checks by Business Hilights at the Ports showed that no other batch had been shipped.
Though Irtwange had on Friday, gave assurance in an interview in Lagos that it was necessary to allay the fears of the citizens that yam would soon become scarce and costlier because of its export, the situation across major markets in both Abuja, and Lagos indicate sharp rise in scarcity and attendant price.
Explaining the scenario in a telephone interview weekend, a leading Yam farmer in Zakibiam, Benue State said “The level of scarcity to be experienced in yam this year will be unprecedented as well over 75 per cent of their yam producing villages across the state could not effectively conduct farming activities since December last year when the first herdsmen attack took place”.
“Am not talking about only my area; Zakibiam, but also Wukari and all other major yam producing communities whose farming calendars were disrupted since the beginning of herdsmen attacks.
Continuing, the farmer said “Why there are still few tubers in the market is because many farmers in Benue State did not farm this year because of security issues, thus forcing them to sell even what should be planted. Very soon, they will finish and the real scarcity will begin”.
“On the issue of yam export, some of us are just hearing it because government never discussed that with us. Some of us do not know from where government got those yam it hurriedly exported. We think that before resumption of exportation, government need to do certain things with yam farmers not political yam farmers. We farmers need to be carried along, specifications need to be given to us and first of all security challenges ought to have been resolved so that when we start, we won’t stop midway.
“We leant about 70 tonnes had been shipped. Well, we want to know if another shipment had taken place or just the first one because, from what we are seeing here in Benue, yam export may not sustainable because we are still facing challenges in accessing implements, we are still farming with ancient processing and no mechanization.
The yam dealer however, said “Am aware that Niger State is coming up in yam harvest but their species cannot compete in test with Benue yams and many Nigerians know that but do not want to talk”.
“What am trying to say is that if Nigeria want to sustain yam export, peace must return to Benue yam communities, compensation must be paid to yam farmers who had been displaced, killed and their farm lands annexed by cattle rearers’.
“Again, government need to assist us get the necessary modern yam farming machines, storage infrastructure and fertilizers at affordable rates.
Business Hilights recalls that TCNYE boss had claimed his committee has developed an action plan to meet the demands for export and local consumption of yam.
According to Irtwange, “The export of yam will serve as incentives for more yam production and we are developing schemes to ensure that. It is not every tuber of yam that has export quality and it is not also every tuber that meets export standard”.
He said “For export, particular weights and sizes of yam are required. Farmers are learning how to separate export and non-export quality yams. Yams with no export quality will be left for local consumption or taken to factories to be processed into flour and yam chips, among others,’’ he said.
