Kaduna: Ginger Farmers Lose Over N10bn To Strange Disease

.. NGAN, NGO Wade In

NEWSDAILYNIGERIA: Ginger Farmers in the southern part of Kaduna State are counting their losses, due to the outbreak of fungal diseases in the area, that ravaged their farm produce to the tune of over 10 billion naira.

However, to cushion the challenge, the National Ginger Association of Nigeria (NGAN) in collaboration with Non Farmer Initiative empowered 18 farmers with the sum of fifty thousand naira each.

The Association lamented the scourge of the pandemic as a major setback to the 2023 Ginger season in southern Kaduna, with the loss of over 10 billion naira to the state’s economy.

The National President of the Ginger Association, Squadron Leader, NB Daudu (rtd.), while addressing Journalists in Kachia on Wednesday called on both the Federal and Kaduna state government to provide some antidotes to curb the menace of the disease.

While speaking, he further said: ” Government should provide palliatives, as to reduce the pandemic currently being experienced by the Ginger farmers in Southern Kaduna.

On the output of the product, the National President explained that due to lack of Ginger processing plant, Nigerian Ginger is unable to attract competitive prices in the world market.

” It is therefore logical to set up a Ginger processing plant in order to meet the international quality standard. The quality of our processed Ginger and its packaging have made our dear nation to be performing far below expectation in the Ginger export around the world”, Daudu said.

In their seperate remarks, the Chairman of Kachia Local Government, Hon. Aaron Bako and Director of Agriculture and Forestry, Queen Victor Saidu explained that Ginger is mainly the major source of the people’s livelihood in the LGA.

” These impoverish Ginger Farmers have equally contributed to the GDP of Nigeria. So, it is on this note that we are calling on the Governments to come to the aid of our people who have been badly affected by this strange disease,” they said.

In his part, the representative of the Non Farmer Initiative, Captain Maikano Abdullahi Sara (rtd), disclosed that the empowernment programme aimed at cushioning the effect of the pandemic.

One of the beneficiaries, Rita Asabe, who spoke on behalf of others, expressed happiness, saying: ” we are appreciative of the gesture, and we are also calling on the government to please come to our aid.”