Reps to investigate persistent drop in prices of farm produce

The House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to investigate the underlying causes of the persistent drop in prices of farm produce, assess its impact on farmers’ livelihoods, food security and national nutrition.

The House asked the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to work in collaboration with other government agencies to urgently design and implement remedial measures by establishing structured off-taking arrangements and price support mechanisms to cushion the adverse effects of the sharp decline in farm produce prices on farmers in the country.

The House also called for efforts to strengthen storage, processing, and market access infrastructure, including expanding strategic grain reserves and agro–processing zones, to mitigate post-harvest losses and stabilize prices.

Adopting a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Bamidele Salam, the House stressed the need to develop sustainable agricultural price stabilization policies and frameworks that will protect farmers’ investments, enhance productivity, and guarantee fair returns on agricultural produce.

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Presenting the motion, Salam said agriculture remains a critical pillar of Nigeria’s economy, providing employment, sustaining livelihoods, and serving as a major contributor to Gross Domestic Product, national food security, and rural development.

He said there has been a persistent sharp decline in the prices of farm produce across the country, affecting staple crops and perishable agricultural commodities such as cassava, rice, and yam, among others.

According to him, this drastic fall in prices has resulted in monumental financial losses to farmers who invested heavily in farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, agrochemicals, transportation, and labour, often financed through loans and cooperative schemes.

Salam said that the absence of structured off-taking mechanisms, inadequate storage facilities, weak agro-processing capacity, and poor market linkages have exacerbated post-harvest losses and deepened farmers’ vulnerability to market fluctuations.

The Osun lawmaker said if left unaddressed, falling farm prices could drive farmers out of business, cut agricultural investment and productivity, and worsen rural apathy toward farming, thereby threatening national food security through food shortages, price inflation, and greater reliance on imports.

He explained that the implications extend to national nutrition outcomes, as disruptions in agricultural production and supply chains may limit access to affordable and nutritious food, worsening malnutrition and food insecurity, particularly among vulnerable populations.

He acknowledged the strategic role of government intervention through price stabilization mechanisms, off-taking, buffer stock programmes, and structured commodity off-taking systems in cushioning farmers against market volatility.