Gombe farmers decry high fertiliser cost, seek government intervention
By Osagie Bitrus
Some farmers in Gombe State have raised concerns about the high cost of fertilisers, which they say could negatively impact farming activities.
They expressed their concerns in separate interviews with our correspondent in Gombe on Wednesday.
Mr Zakari Hinna, the Head of Farmers in Hinna Community of Yamaltu/Deba Local Government Area of Gombe State, said the high cost of fertiliser has forced over 40 per cent of farmers in his community to abandon their farmlands.
Hinna said that during the dry season, many farmers could not afford commodities and were forced to abandon their land because the crops they wanted to cultivate needed fertiliser.
He said that many farmers who took loans to cultivate their farmlands in the 2025 wet season couldn’t repay their loans in view of the low prices of grains.
“Last year, many farmers suffered losses and couldn’t even pay their loans because of the high cost of fertiliser and other inputs worsened by low prices of grains.
“During the dry season, which started in November, many farmers in our community known for dry season farming could not continue.
“Over 40 per cent of them abandoned their farmlands because they didn’t have the money to buy fertiliser and other agrochemicals,” he said.
Hinna warned that the government’s food security efforts could face a threat due to the rising number of farmers leaving agriculture for alternative employment.
He appealed to government at all levels to support farmers, “because we have no other means of surviving or taking care of our families than through farming.”
Ibrahim Abubakar, an extension officer in Gombe State, said farmers, especially those cultivating fertiliser-dependent crops, were no longer getting good returns on their investments.
Abubakar called for “emergency intervention from the government to encourage the cultivation of all crops, as maize and rice are staple foods in the state and country.”
Usman Haruna, a farmer from the Malleri community in the Kwami Local Government Area of Gombe State, said many farmers would find it difficult to cultivate their farmlands without support.
Haruna said that the price of the commodity was usually cheap before the commencement of the farming season but rises during planting.
“By this time last year, the price was between N40,000 and N43,000, and the price rose to N75,000 at the peak of farming activities, which forced many farmers to use less quantity than required.
“This year, the price for the best fertiliser is already between N50,000 and N55,000, meaning that during the peak of farming, the price could hit N80,000 to N90,000.
“This is our fear, and that’s why many farmers are either abandoning their farmland or going for crops that require little or no fertiliser,” he said.
Mrs Mary Ignatius from Popandi Tal in Billiri LGA, Gombe State, said farmers in her community have resorted to taking loans from their local cooperative society, which was formed with the support of Sasakawa Africa.
Ignatius said if not for the support from such cooperatives, many farmers, especially female farmers, would have stopped cultivating crops for years.
Others who shared similar sentiments said they have resorted to sourcing alternative means of improving the soil health of their farms through animal dung and poultry droppings.
They urged governments at all levels to support farmers as part of efforts to boost the food security of the state and country.
Our correspondent reports that the price of fertiliser at the Gombe Main Market as of Saturday for the best quality of a 50 kg bag of NPK is between N50,000 and N58,000, while urea is sold for N50,000 and above.
