The PAN Lagos State Chairman, Mr Mojeed Iyiola, lamented the unavailability of day-old chicks in an interview with our correspondent on Thursday in Lagos.

Iyiola described the unavailability of day-old chicks as a great threat to the sector.

“We have a lot of problems facing exporting our local poultry produce outside the country. Our major present in the sector is the difficulty of getting day-old chicks.

“The unavailability of day-old chicks is a big problem to poultry farmers. In fact, we had our monthly meeting yesterday and that was the complaint of most of our members.

“And this problem has given room for all mushroom hatcheries to spring up here and there producing half-baked day-old chicks, which are detrimental to the business itself.

“So, when consider exporting out now, the only reason we may not be able to do that is because of our inability to even access day-old chicks which results in shortfall in our production,” Iyiola said.

He attributed the scarcity to export of day-old chicks by most hatchery companies.

“The reason for this scarcity is because most hatchery companies are exporting their day-old chicks, although they denied it completely.

“In fact, the national body of our association is now interfacing with them. We can’t even get enough day-old chicks, talk more of exporting matured chicken.

“The hatcheries are saying they have limited supply parent stock that we use in breeding the DOC, hence the shortage.

“Their parent stock is usually imported and the licence to import is regulated by the Federal Government is not evenly distributed.

“The licence was given to very few hatcheries who cannot meet even the demand of the immediate need. So, they are just rationing the little parent stock they have.

“The management of the local hatcheries, depends on the importation of the parent stock,” PAN chairman said.

He, however, noted that the government had stepped into the situation.

According to him, negotiations are ongoing to address the issue.

“The government is negotiating with the hatcheries on our behalf to increase day-old chicks production,” he said.

He added that the hatchery industry are liaising with the government to give them more license to import more parent stock to increase production.

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A survey conducted by our correspondent revealed that the initiatives, led by the state Agricultural Extension Officers and farmer cooperatives, are gradually transforming the tomato industry in the state.

According to Mr Salihu Adobanyi, the state Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), the measures include improved post-harvest handling, training programmes for rural farmers, and the use of ventilated plastic crates.

He said, “These efforts have reduced physical damage during transportation and prevented spoilage.

“Additionally, solar drying methods and small cold storage facilities are being adopted to manage excess harvest and extend shelf life.”

Adobanyi commended the state government for creating an enabling environment for farmers and praised President Bola Tinubu for supporting farmers with input supplies.

He, however, appealed to the government to address the inadequate preservation facilities and processing companies in the state, citing the need for industries to process and preserve perishable produce.

Mr Musa Abdullahi, a small-scale farmer in Lokoja, expressed excitement over the bumper harvest of tomatoes this season, but expressed concerns over inadequate storage facilities and off takers.

“We’re happy with the harvest, but we’re worried about storage. We don’t have access to cold storage facilities, so some of our tomatoes are already going bad.
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“We need help with preservation techniques or storage facilities to reduce our losses,” Abdullahi said.

A medium-scale farmer at Makajiya cluster in Banda, said: “We’ve been trying to supply to local markets, but it is tough.

“The processing companies want high-quality tomatoes, and we’re struggling to meet their standards. We need training on post-harvest handling and some support with inputs like fertiliser and seeds.

“Though, the state government has been trying in terms of inputs like fertiliser but we need more support especially cold storage facilities.”

Alhaji Ibrahim Usman, a large-scale farmer, said they have invested in storage facilities but not enough to accommodate and preserve their bumper harvest.

He added, “We have invested in some storage facilities, but it’s not enough. We’re looking at exploring partnerships with processing companies to secure a market for our produce.

“The government could help facilitate these partnerships and provide incentives for farmers to adopt better farming practices.”

A female farmer, Mrs Alice Halidu, said women are facing challenges in accessing land for farming due to gender parity.

“As women, we face challenges accessing credit and inputs. We need support with financing and training to improve our yields and quality.

“The Kogi Government has been trying in capturing more women in farming, but they should provide more opportunities for women farmers to access resources and markets,” she urged.

A Director in the State Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the ministry was working on initiatives to support farmers with storage facilities and training on preservation techniques.

“We’re also exploring partnerships with processing companies to create a stable market for farmers.

“We encourage farmers to engage and be members of cooperatives to increase their bargaining power,” he said.

A Manager at Mack Farm Agro-allied Company, Mr John Mathias, said: “As a processing company, we are interested in sourcing tomatoes from local farmers, but we need a consistent supply of high-quality produce.

“We’re willing to partner with farmers who can meet our standards and provide training on post-harvest handling and farming practices.”

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The National President of the association, Alhaji Aliyu Isah, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent on Tuesday in Abuja.

Aliyu mentioned the affected states to be the states of Borno, Yobe, Sokoto, Kebbi and Adamawa, adding that the government intervention, including improved seeds and fertilisers, had revived production in the sector.

“The association is thanking the Federal Government for releasing intervention funds to support affected farmers.

“The assistance included improved seeds, fertilisers and chemicals distributed in those affected states, the support has helped revive production and stabilise onion prices.

“Climate change significantly affected onion production and storage, causing heavy financial losses for farmers,’’ he said.

Aliyu said that flooding from dam incidents and changing rainfall patterns disrupted farming activities in the states.

He cited the collapse of Alau Dam in Borno, which destroyed farms and investments belonging to onion producers.

According to him, the collapse of Alau Dam in Borno State caused severe flooding that destroyed thousands of hectares of farmland, with onion producers suffering significant losses in crops and investments.

“Also, flooding around the Goronyo Dam and Sokoto Rima Basin damaged lowland farms.

“Farmers lost billions of naira due to extreme weather events and rising temperatures,’’ he added.

The president noted that post-harvest losses peaked in 2025 due to poor storage and climate-related challenges, adding that the sector urgently required modern storage facilities across major onion-producing states.

He said that the states needed storage infrastructure, adding that improved storage would reduce losses and stabilise supply.

Isah also emphasised the need for more processing plants to convert onions into value-added products.

He said increased processing capacity would strengthen the economy and reduce waste, adding that the association was also working with partners to train farmers on climate-smart agricultural practices.

He expressed hope that recovery efforts would improve production in 2026, adding that the onion value chain provides employment and income opportunities across farming, processing, marketing and logistics.

He described the sub-sector as strategic for food security, rural livelihoods and regional trade development.

The president said that improved production practices and organised marketing had strengthened Nigeria’s competitiveness in regional markets.

He said that the association aimed to enhance Nigeria’s onion industry by boosting production capacity, improving quality standards, and ensuring profitability for farmers.

He added that the association’s objective was to eliminate counterfeit seeds, developing modern storage to reduce post-harvest losses, strengthening, and promoting export-oriented, branded, and value-added onion processing.

Isah called for continued collaboration between government, private sector and farmers to build resilience.

He, however, urged policymakers to prioritise climate adaptation strategies in agriculture.

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After five years in vegetable farming, she believed proper planning would secure her income.

But delays caused by bad roads, police checkpoints and the absence of storage facilities worked against her.

By the time her produce arrived at the market, prices had crashed and buyers rejected bruised and spoiling tomatoes.

“I could not sell anything that day. Some were already going bad. Others were rejected. At the end of the day, I was asked to pay to dispose of them, Salami said.

For many women farmers in Oyo State, losses do not begin from the farm. They begin after harvest.

Across farming communities in the state, timing has become a matter of survival for women who grow and trade perishable crops.

Mrs Temilade Olabiyi, leader of the Smallholder Women Farmers Organisation in Nigeria (SWOFON) in Oluyole LGA, said that post-harvest losses often stem from market timing rather than poor yields.

“You must look for the market before you plant. If you plant outside premium demand periods, you are forced to sell cheaply or watch your produce rot,” she said.

With tomatoes and peppers operating on short planting cycles, she explained that one wrong decision could wipe out an entire season’s income.

For many women farmers, losses begin even before reaching the market.

Poor rural roads and long travel times cause bruising and spillage, especially as farm produce are often packed in traditional raffia baskets.

“By the time we get to markets like Bodija or Oje, deductions start immediately. You pay ground rent, stall fees and other charges even before making a sale,”Olabiyi said

According to her, delays give middlemen leverage to dictate prices, leaving farmers with little choice but to accept losses.

Mrs Oluwatoyin Oyedeji, a smallholder farmer in Oyo town, said rising transport costs and levies forced her to stop selling in major markets.

According to her, the arithmetic no longer adds up,

“Sometimes, transport and levies compete with my profit. I barely recover my costs.”

At major markets including Bodija, Sasa, Akinyele and Omi-Adio, women farmers and traders told NAN that they faced multiple levies, many undocumented.

Moving perishable goods from farm to market

Mrs Bolanle Raimi, a potato vendor at Omi-Adio market, said that charges began long before profit was considered.

“A bag that once attracted N200 levy now costs up to N1,000. We are paying to sell, and when goods spoil, we pay again to dump them,” she said.

She said that many levies were imposed by middlemen rather than government officials, often without receipts.

According to Raimi, middlemen operate in coordinated groups, fixing prices and limiting farmers’ bargaining power.

“If a farmer refuses a price, others will insist on the same amount. They work together.”

The Iyaloja of Omi-Adio Market, Alhaja Mojisola Latinwo, acknowledged the challenges, but said that the market handled fast-moving goods with minimal spoilage.

She said that traders pay N50 ticket fees to the market union and N50 per basket to local government revenue officers.

However, traders insist that these figures do not reflect the full cost imposed through informal charges before farm produce reach stalls.

Latinwo also blamed poor road conditions, particularly during the rainy season, estimating losses at between 10 per cent and 20 per cent.

Beyond roads and levies, the absence of storage facilities remains a critical challenge.

Mrs Oluwafolakemi Omidiwura, a post-harvest researcher at the University of Ibadan, said that the lack of cold storage allowed middlemen to use time as leverage against farmers.

“Fresh produce are sometimes delayed until older stock is sold. The longer the delay, the more decay sets in.”

Without storage, farmers must sell immediately, accept low prices or lose everything.

Traders of perishable goods and how the goods are transported to and fro the market.

Raimi, a mother of four, said she sometimes lose up to half of her goods, adding that it affects her ability to feed her family and pay school fees.

“Sometimes we eat from what is left unsold. When losses are heavy, it becomes difficult to survive.”

Aggregators also feel the strain.

Mr Emmanuel Akinsoji, who has worked in produce aggregation for over 25 years, said that delays and heat destroyed value quickly.

According to him, it can take three days to move produce from the North to the South.

He said that a bag that sells for N80,000 in the morning may go for N35,000 in the evening.

Stakeholders described post-harvest loss as a structural threat to food availability and affordability.

They said that Nigeria lost up to 40 per cent of fruits and vegetables after harvest, not because solutions are unknown but due to weak implementation.

They cautioned against chemical preservatives and called for research into low-cost, electricity-free storage options such as evaporative cooling systems.

Mr John Olateru, National First Deputy President of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), blamed years of policy inertia.

“Farmers absorb losses while conferences continue. Without cold-chain infrastructure and processing hubs near farms, losses will persist,” he said.

Investigations show that many market levies form part of local government Internally Generated Revenue, now often collected by private consultants.

Officials in Akinyele LGA, who craved anonymity, said contractors collect revenues, remit agreed sums and operate with limited transparency.

A rate officer in the council said official ground rent ranged from N1,200 to N5,000 depending on stall type, but admitted that several markets are no longer under direct council collection.

The Oyo State Government says it is addressing post-harvest losses through infrastructure and market reforms.

The Director-General of Oyo State Agribusiness Development Agency, Dr Debo Akande, said about 1,200 kilometres of feeder roads were under construction to improve farm access.

He said that aggregation centres were being developed and that at least 16 medium-scale processing factories had been attracted as off-takers since 2019.

The Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Olasunkanmi Olaleye, said that the state was developing an Agricultural Information Management System with a virtual market to link farmers directly with buyers.

He also disclosed plans for a 10,000-metric-tonne silo project and agro-logistics centres in partnership with development agencies.

On market levies, Olaleye said collection fell under local governments and traditional authorities, stressing that the state does not engage contractors for market levies.

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The residents gave the commendation in separate interviews with our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday.

Mrs Vivian Uche, a food stuff vendor at Lugbe market, who praised Federal Government’s intervention, said it helped in curbing food prices hike in the country.

“In an unexpected development, food prices have dropped in the market across Nigeria, bringing much relief to Nigerians who have been struggling with the rising cost of living.

“I sell beans, rice and other food items, the prices have dropped notably in the market. A bag of rice that was selling for N76,000 a few months ago now goes for N55,000.

“A module of Gari was N1,000/1,200 but now N500/600. Beans dropped from N3,000/2,800 to N600/800 depending on the qualities. The same thing goes for yam flour and the rest

“Truly speaking, this is a relief for us traders and the customers that buy our products to consume,’’ she said.

Mrs Ifeoma iwuji, a civil servant, said the efforts of the federal government toward making food more available and affordable in Abuja and across the country could not be overemphasised.

According to her, the government has implemented policies that have increased food supply, leading to surplus and subsequently lower the food prices.

“The cost of food has been a major burden, with the price dropping, we can now afford to buy more food,’’ she said.

Mrs Cynthia Chukwuma, a buyer at the Lugbe market, said what the federal government did was good, urging that sustainability of the low cost of the food items would be better.

“We need to see if this price drop is sustainable for a long time. We have seen prices of food stuff dropped before, only for them to increase again. For now, families are enjoying the benefits of food prices reduction.

Mr Kayode iyiola, a mechanised farmer, told NAN that food prices had dropped across Nigeria due to federal government’s intervention and several other factors.

According to him, the ongoing harvest season has led to an increase in food supply, causing prices to decrease and improved security in farming areas has also contributed to the reduction.

“Farmers can now access their lands and produce more food. Additionally, the federal government’s free import waiver has resulted in a surge of cheap imports, further driving down prices.

“Government’s intervention like subsidised fertilizer distribution and dry-season farming initiatives have also supported the price drop, “he said.

Kayode, however, explained that despite the gains, many Nigerians still struggled with low purchasing power and stagnant incomes, making it difficult to afford basic food items.

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The President of the association, Mr Kabir Shuaibu, disclosed this in an interview with our correspondent on Friday in Lagos.

Shuaibu said that beans and cowpeas were at an all time low in recent times, owing to the current peak of harvest of the produce.

He, however, noted that the produce price might slightly increase in near months due to low yields in the current harvest, compared to previous years.

“The price of beans is at its all time lowest presently because we are at the peak of the harvest.

“In the next two to three months, the price of beans may increase because the harvest will be over by then.

“Currently, the 100kg bag of beans sells between N90,000 to N120,000 kg, depending on the specie.

“As at this time last year, the same quantity of beans sold as high as N200,000 to N240,000 per bag.

“In 2024, the rains were good that’s why the price of beans is good this year. However, the 2025 harvest is not as bountiful as that of 2024,” Shuaibu said.

According to him, in cases where a farmer can get 50,000 bags of beans from his farm, and is now harvesting only 30,000 bags from the same land mass, you will know that the production fell short.

“So, after the peak of the harvest season, this may lead to a hike in the price of beans again.

“It is not the farmers’ fault, it is just that our yield this harvest was not as much as last harvest.

“This year, we will encourage our farmers to tap into climate smart agriculture practices to increase our yields in subsequent harvests.

“We also encourage consumers not to panic buy but to buy quantities they needed and could also store before the perceived hike.”

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