The President of the National Onion Producers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), Isah Aliyu, has highlighted a devastating combination of flooding, climate change, and counterfeit seeds as the driving forces behind the current onion scarcity and price hike across Nigeria.
Floods Wash Away Hope
Aliyu explained that unprecedented flooding in late 2024 wreaked havoc across major onion-producing states, including Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, and others. The release of water from dams, such as Goronyo in Sokoto and Alau in Maiduguri, compounded the problem, washing away crops at various growth stages.
“Even farmers who tried to replant faced obstacles,” Aliyu said, noting how heavy rains beyond October encouraged fungal diseases like purple blotch to destroy nursery crops.
Fake Seeds Add to Farmers’ Woes
With seed supplies already constrained globally, some traders began importing substandard onion seeds from countries like Niger and Algeria. According to Aliyu, these adulterated seeds caused massive crop failures, leaving farmers with losses amounting to over N150 billion.
“We declared a state of emergency in the onion sector last year, but there has been little government support,” he revealed, pointing out how prices for quality seeds skyrocketed from N20,000 to N180,000 per 500 grams in 2024.
Government Response Falls Short
While the National Assembly’s Agriculture Committee has engaged stakeholders, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture has yet to take decisive action. “Farmers are desperate, but intervention has been slow,” Aliyu lamented.
A Grim Future for Onion Prices
As farmers grapple with losses and a lack of quality seeds, consumers should brace for further price surges. “Without urgent support, onions could become a luxury item in Nigeria,” Aliyu warned.
The onion crisis underscores the need for improved agricultural policies, climate resilience measures, and stricter regulation of seed imports to prevent further devastation.