…Says Ginger Farmers in Kaduna lost over N12bn in 2023 farming season
By Palma Ileye
Federal Government has inaugurated a multifaceted National Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce to tackle the devastating fungi disease that has inflicted much damage to ginger production in some States.
Speaking yesterday during the inauguration held at the Ministry’s Headquarters in Abuja, the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, FMAFS, Sen. Sabi Abdullahi stated that Ginger Farmers in Nasarawa, Plateau, Kaduna and Federal Capital Territory, Abuja had suffered great loss in last year’s farming season as a result of the epidemic.
Abdullahi disclosed that the international market demand for Nigerian ginger stood at $6.29 billion by 2030 from $4.16billion in
2013 adding that Nigerian ginger presents a phenomenal opportunity for the country’s economic growth.
According to him, apart from the economic loss, the epidemic has affected NIgeria’s position as the second largest producer of ginger in the world, saying that, “Our preliminary estimates suggest that ginger farmers from Southern Kaduna lost over N12 Billion, adding that 85 percent of ginger production takes place in this region.”
The Minister also assured that the Federal Government would support ginger farmers to prevent future recurrence noting that the livelihoods of the affected farmers would be provided with relief materials to cushion the impact of the damage on the commodity.
He revealed that N1.6 Billion Recovery Funds would be launched on Wednesday this week in Kaduna State to support farmers in the ginger producing States.
He underscored the need for Nigeria for have strong preparedness in the areas of research and farmer support system to build rosy future for Nigeria’s agricultural system.
He appealed to Nigerian farmers to avoid importation of seeds without going through the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS, to forestall importation of crop diseases into the country.
On his part, the Chairman of the National Ginger Blight Epidemic Control Taskforce, Engr. Abubakar Garba Abdullahi, Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, reassured that the Taskforce would resuscitate the ginger sub-sector as the epidemic has affected the Gross Domestic Product, GDP, of the country.
The National Taskforce is made up of Researchers, Extension service agents, Farmers and other critical stakeholders drawn from agricultural value chain.
