The Chairperson of the Farmers Community in Ojo Local Government Area of Lagos State, Mrs. Mayriam Ali, has warned that vegetable prices are likely to increase in the coming weeks following widespread flooding that destroyed farms in Ojo and other parts of the state.
Ali disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos, attributing the anticipated price hike to heavy losses suffered by farmers during the ongoing rainy season.
She described flooding as the most significant challenge confronting farmers in Ojo, explaining that the area’s swampy terrain makes farmlands particularly vulnerable to inundation whenever rainfall intensifies.
According to her, recent downpours submerged farmlands, destroyed crops and prevented many farmers from harvesting mature vegetables or replanting new ones.
“We have recorded huge losses. Floodwaters destroyed many of our crops, and farmers are struggling to recover.
“If we sold vegetables at lower prices before, they will now become more expensive because farmers must recover their losses,” she said.
Ali identified vegetables expected to witness sharp increases in price to include ugu, spinach, spring onions, oregano and waterleaf.
She explained that a bunch of waterleaf, which currently sells for about ₦500, could soon cost between ₦1,000 and ₦1,300 as supply continues to decline.
According to her, vegetables with longer maturity periods suffered the greatest damage because many were washed away before reaching harvest.
She, however, noted that vegetables with shorter growing cycles, including shoko, tete and ewedu, may remain relatively affordable since farmers can replant and harvest them within a shorter period.
Ali lamented that many farmers lack the drainage infrastructure and pumping equipment required to remove excess floodwater from their farms.
She called on the government to support farmers with affordable solar-powered pumping machines to help manage flooding and minimise future crop losses.
The farmers’ leader also urged authorities to improve transportation infrastructure to ease the movement of vegetables from farming communities to markets across Lagos.
She further appealed to the government to carry out assessments of farming communities in order to better understand their challenges and provide targeted support.
According to her, addressing flooding, transportation and mechanisation challenges would significantly improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food security in Lagos State.
Ali appealed to consumers to exercise patience as farmers work towards restoring production after the devastating impact of the floods.
She also encouraged households with available space to embrace home gardening as a way of reducing dependence on the market for leafy vegetables.
While expressing optimism that production would gradually improve as floodwaters recede, she cautioned that vegetable prices are likely to remain unstable until farmers fully recover from their losses.
Ali reaffirmed the commitment of farmers in the state to increase food production, stressing that greater government support would be essential to achieving that goal.
