The sun beats down on the ever-busy grains market in Bauchi, where mountains of maize, millet, and guinea corn spill from sacks onto the ground. For consumers, the sight brings relief as the pressure to afford staples has eased. But for farmers and traders, the story is starkly different, writes Beatrice Gondyi.
This is the paradox gripping Nigeria’s grain markets in mid-2025: while crashing prices offer temporary respite to consumers, they threaten to cripple the very farmers who keep the nation fed. A Spear News investigation across Bauchi’s markets reveals a dramatic drop in food prices, some items have halved in value compared to previous weeks. Yet beneath this apparent abundance brews a crisis that could seed future shortages if left unchecked.
According to traders at the various grains markets visited by Spear News, a 100kg bag of maize which was sold at N70,000 is now selling for between N45,000 and N60,000, while millet which was selling N80,000 ranges from N50,000 to N60,000. Guinea corn, on the hand, few months ago was purchased at N85,000 now sells between N55,000 and N60,000. For Beans, it was going at N220,000, now cost between N100,000 and N110,000 per bag. Rice (huge local sack) was sold at N250,000 is now N125,000.
Other staple items like zobo flower (hibiscus) and baobab (Kuka) are currently sold for N20,000 to N21,000. Groundnut prices remain consistently high, with a 100kg bag selling at N220,000
Many traders attribute the persistent downward spiral to the bumper harvest experienced last year but are afraid the situation may worsen as farm inputs are the reach of the common farmer.
There are growing calls for government intervention to subsidise farm inputs, improve security in rural areas, and support farmers in order to bring stability to the local food market.
For Zainab Yakubu, a Grain Wholesaler in Buzaye area of bauchi state, there is urgent need for government to intervene and subsidize farm inputs for greater impact
“The fertilizer we got last year N30,000 this year is N60,000. We have issues with fertilizer because rice maize needs fertilizer. If you want good yield, you have to apply fertilizer. Last year we sold maize N60,000 but this year is N45,000. Several people came to me help to them with fertilizer because they have planted but there is no fertilizer. No intervention yet from government to us we only hear it in the radio that it was distributed,
The government should intervene especially for women farmers.”
Another grains seller who is also a farmer, Yusuf lamented high price of fertilizer and the crashed prices of grains especially rice
“I sell Rice from 80 measure at N125,000 and N150,000 for 100 measure. Last year was better for traders. It is not the best of times for farmers because they will have to sell their grains to afford farming inputs. Price of fertilizer is on the increase while grains prices is decreasing. The government should help the farmers.”
“Fertilizer is really dealing with us what can we do? Maize is N50,000 fertilizer is N60,000. So we will leave our corn for home use while you look for what to eat next year we can’t fail we will just farm what we’ll eat till next year and farm groundnut and sorghum, that do not require fertilizer.”
Another trader/Farmer, Salisu Hassan Rimin Zayam Explained that “price of food stuffs have seriously gone down it’s only groundnut that is still expensive 2300 soy 1k maize 550 beans 1200. The prices are dropping every week and people are not even patronizing.”
Hassan continued that “The government don’t have the best interest of the common farmer, if not how can you bring your corn to be sold at 38,000 to 45,000 and you buy fertilizer at 57, 000, is that fair? you must sell 2 bags of corn before you can afford 1 bag of fertilizer. How can the poor take care of their farm?”
“It is not right that package foods are expensive and grains are not and it is the farmers that supply the companies. I farm very well and I get up to 65 bags of corn last year and I used about 15 bags of fertilizer and the fertilizer is increasing daily.” Hassan stated.
For Fatima Mohammed who is into storage, she decried the losses she incurred as a result of the low price of grains.
“We are selling at a loss. Beans I stored at N115,000 per bag is now N85,000. I lost over N300,000 this month alone. Many traders are stuck. We didnt expect such a sudden drop like this, I have to sell to recover my capital.”
Those selling farm inputs too are not happy with the situation as it has affected sales of farm inputs because most farmers have resorted to cultivating crops that don’t need fertilizer like Groundnut and Soya beans.
According to Rayyanu Aliyu “many farmers have resolved to plant groundnut and soya beans because they don’t need fertilizer. I think availability of grains will be threatened next year bear many are not farming it. God knows best
“I sell pesticides and fertilizer. Urea fertilizer is N43,000, while NPK fertilizer is N57,000, Pesticides and herbicides prices ranges because of the different labels. Even the farmers are complaining of increase in price.”
“I will Appeal to the government to subsidize fertilizer we are not happy that it is expensive it is affecting us also.”
“Every week the price of grains is going down, every week and I don’t think it will rise again. Let the government please intervene on fertilizer for farmers to have a level playing field.”
When Spear News enquired about fertilizer the current price is between N45,000 and N58, 000 depending on the the company and products.
While the current price of Golden fertilizer is pegged at N57,000, Bauchi State Government has reduced the price of fertiliser (NPK 20:10:10) from N45,000 to N20,000, a 42.8% cut, to make it more affordable and accessible for farmers across the state.
Governor Bala Mohammed announced the subsidy recently during the flag-off of the 2025 wet season farm input distribution at Gajin Duguri.
However farmers across the state are lamenting the absence of the subsidized fertilizer in the open market. The scarcity has forced most of them to purchase the available at a higher price.
In order to mitigate the rising cost of grains, Bauchi state government approved N3 billion for procurement of grain stocks as part of efforts to subsidise and reduce the retail prices of food stuffs, thereby making food stuffs more accessible to the public.
The initiative was designed to provide much-needed relief to the citizens to ensure a consistent food supply amid unpredictable weather conditions.
Chairman of the Committee in charge of Grains Reserve, Hamza Koshe Akuyam, said part of the the responsibilities of the Strategic Grains Reserve Committee include assessing current condition of the State’s storage facilities, purchasing essential food commodities, and strategically selling the items at subsidised rates during critical periods.
Northeast Nigeria is experiencing a temporary bounty—an impressive harvest delivering sharply lower grain prices, a relief for consumers but a challenge for farmers and traders. Absent measures to preserve farm profitability through affordable inputs, storage, credit access, and conflict mitigation, this seasonal windfall may yield to another cycle of scarcity.
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