Farmers decry high cost of improve maize seedlings

Farmers decry high cost of improve maize seedlings

Small scale farmers in Gidan-Daya region of Garki District, Abuja Municipal Council, have complained about the scarcity and high cost of improved maize seedlings.

The farmers, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, said the situation had compelled them to recycle their old seedlings.

Mr Yagnache Dimas, who intercrops maize with other plants, said though he was excited about the performance of the local variety, he still preferred the improved version of maize seedlings.

Dimas, who said that the improved maize seed was not only scarce but expensive, said that to purchase the improved seed in the market would cost him over N20, 000 naira.

He said the price was so high that he and many other small holder farmers could not afford them.

He said as a result of this, he resorted to replanting his saved seeds from previous year’s harvest.

He said he selected the best set of maize from his harvest and stored them where they would be free from insects.

Dimas said depending on farm practices, he usually gets up to two to seven tons per hectare from the improved variety.

“With improved seeds, you can get up to four to ten tons per hectare,’’ he said.

Dimas noted that although government was encouraging farmers to farm disease-resistant high yielding and improved seeds, government could do better by helping to subsidise such seeds for affordability.

“We are planting recycled seeds because of high cost of improved seeds,’’ he said.

Mrs Sarah Zamayi, another small holder farmer, also decried the high cost of improved maize seeds.

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She said she spends substantial amount of money buying fertiliser and herbicides, adding that since she already has seeds from her last harvest, there was no reason to spend more money purchasing improved seeds.

Similarly, Mr Samu Pkasaba, another farmer, urged the government to assist farmers by subsidising not only improved maize seeds but also that of beans.

According to him, improved seeds give more yields with the right agronomical practices, adding that farmers are ready to put in their best if the improved seeds are made available.

Pkasaba said that conventional seedlings were prone to insect attacks and did not give much yields when compared with improved seedlings.