Farmers Decry High Cost Of Chemicals

Cocoa farmers in Osun have decried the high cost of chemicals used for the control of diseases in cocoa production. A cross section of them who spoke with our correspondent in Owena-Ijesa in Oriade Local Government Area on Friday, expressed concern that the development might lead to a drop in quality and yield this year.

One of the farmers, Alhaji Mukaila Alao, said that most farmers could no longer afford chemicals such as “Ridomil gold, Actara, Coacobre Sandox, Funguran, Kocide 101 and Dusban” due to their high cost.

“Even those of us who can afford the high cost, face difficulty to access the chemicals because of their scarcity most times.

“A sachet of Ridomil gold which was sold between N180 and N200 last year, is now between N300 and N350, while Reforce formally sold for N130 is N250 and Ultmaxe is now N280 instead of its former price of N150”, he said.

Another cocoa farmer, Mr Segun Olaoye, said that he had resorted to using a mixture of alum and ashes in water for the control of black pod disease in his cocoa farm. “Though it is not as effective as Ridomil gold plus 66wp or other black pod control chemical, the high cost of these chemicals forced me to adopt its usage and it works to some extent.“ Olaoye said.

Olaoye who expressed fears that the use of alum and ashes might cause low yields and appealed to the federal government to subsidise the prices of the chemicals to ease the challenges cocoa farmers faced.

A female cocoa farmer, Madam Sherifat Olori, who disclosed that she had invested more than N500,000, to rent cocoa plantation this year, lamented that the high cost of the chemicals had “drained her pocket”.

Olori said: “It is a must to purchase these chemicals for the control of diseases in cocoa, otherwise my investment would be in vain.

“But I am afraid that the high cost of the chemicals would take all the gains at the end of the season.

“Government should help us and make the chemicals available at cheaper rates.”

Meanwhile, Alhaji Raheem Adeniji, the State Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), also expressed worry over the high cost of the chemicals.

Adeniji said that following the development, the association now purchased directly from the company that imports the products and sells to its members who are cocoa farmers.

“This method makes the chemicals available to members at cheaper rates when compared to the prices in the open markets.    He urged the federal government to address the plight of the cocoa farmers by ensuring that all agro-chemicals were available at subsidised rates, to boost agricultural production.