The Chairperson of the Farmers Community in Ojo Local Government Area, Mrs Mayriam Ali, says vegetable prices are expected to rise in the coming weeks following flooding that destroyed farms in Ojo and other parts of Lagos State.
Ali said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday in Lagos.
She described flooding as the biggest challenge confronting farmers in Ojo, noting that the area’s swampy terrain makes farmlands highly vulnerable during the rainy season.
According to her, heavy rainfall submerged farmlands, destroyed crops and prevented many farmers from harvesting or replanting.
“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 said vegetables likely to witness sharp price increases include ugu, spinach, spring onions, oregano and waterleaf.
She said a bunch of waterleaf currently selling for about N500 could rise to between N1,000 and N1,300.
According to her, vegetables with longer maturity periods suffered greater losses because many were washed away before reaching harvest.
She, however, said vegetables with shorter maturity periods, such as shoko, tete and ewedu, might remain relatively affordable because they can be replanted quickly.
Ali said many farmers lacked drainage facilities and pumping equipment needed to remove excess water from their farms.
She called for affordable solar-powered pumping machines to help farmers manage flooding and reduce crop losses.
Ali also urged the government to improve transportation infrastructure to ease the movement of vegetables from farms to markets and assess farming communities to identify their needs.
According to her, tackling flooding, transportation and mechanisation challenges would boost food production and strengthen food security in Lagos State.
She appealed to consumers to be patient with farmers as production gradually recovers.
Ali also encouraged households with available space to embrace home gardening to reduce dependence on the market for leafy vegetables.
She expressed optimism that production would improve as floodwaters recede but noted that vegetable prices would remain unstable until farmers recover their losses.
Ali reaffirmed the commitment of farmers to increase production with adequate government support.
