The chairman, Maize Farmers Association of Nigeria (MAAN), Kaduna State chapter, Kabiru Salihu, says subsidised farm inputs remain the best way to boost productivity and reduce the price of grains in the country.

Salihu, who made this known in an interview with journalists on Friday in Kaduna, said that Nigerian farmers were capable of producing enough to feed the nation if adequately supported.

He appealed to the state government to sustain the distribution of fertilisers, noting that such interventions would increase yields and enhance food security.

”The Presidential Fertiliser Initiative (PFI) introduced in 2016 enabled farmers to buy fertiliser at N5,500, which significantly improved production and stabilised prices.

“At that time, a bag of maize was between N8,000 and N9,000; farmers and consumers alike were happy. If this gesture is reintroduced,

“I am confident a bag of maize could even go below N10,000,” he said.

The chairman argued that subsidising farm inputs was more beneficial than grain importation, which he described as a short-term measure that undermines local producers.

He warned that with fertiliser prices currently ranging between N50,000 and N70,000, grain prices would continue to rise unless government intervened with subsidies.

“Farmers are suffering. We are contributing to food security, and if government supports us through subsidised inputs, everyone, both producers and consumers, will benefit,” he added.

Mr Salihu urged government to prioritise farmers’ welfare as part of efforts to ensure food security and economic stability.

(NAN)