The Amalgamated Union of Foodstuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria (AUFCDN) has said it would rather its farm produce go to waste than tolerate the continuous attacks on its members in the southern part of the country.
Following the food blockade from the North to the South, northern farmers have decried the impact of this on the prices of farm produce as they are now being sold at ridiculous prices.
The strike commenced after the expiration of the 7-day-ultimatum given the federal government by the association for the payment of N4.75billion naira as reparations for the loss suffered by Northerners in the #EndSARS and Shasha market crisis.
In an online video, farmers and foodstuff sellers in the Gun-Dutse onion market in Kano state could be seen lamenting over the effects the ongoing strike has had on their businesses.
The impact of the strike on its sixth day is being felt mostly by both sellers of onions and tomatoes as the prices begin to drop in the North while it increases in the South.
Reportedly, some tomato farmers have abandoned their farms over the shortage of distribution channels, saying they would rather leave the farms than waste more resources harvesting their produce. This has made many cut their losses by allowing their tomatoes to rot rather than spend more resources packaging and transporting them to the southern part of the country.
Also, it was learned that AUFCDN officials had mounted roadblocks at strategic places like Lokoja in Kogi state and Jebba in Kwara state to ensure strict compliance.
One of the farmers while counting his losses told a journalist that before this recent development, at least 20 onion-laden trucks left Kano daily, but only 3 truckloads of onion had departed since Thursday. And baskets of onion that were being sold for N70,000 during the onion scarcity period and N35,000 some weeks back, are now being sold for N7,000.
Also, Garba Idris, a meat seller at Wuse Market in Abuja had bitterly complained about the scarcity of beef in the market which is a result of the blockade from the North and neighboring countries that supply meat to Nigeria.
He said; “What we heard is that there is a scarcity of cows in the market because of the blockade of cows from entering the country. Cows coming in from Niger, Cameroon and other neighboring countries have been restricted from coming through the border. A kilogram of beef is now 2000 but it was 1500, 1700 before. We still run at a loss with 2000 and the patronage is not as it used to be. The cost price of beef has been doubled.”
Buyers also complained about the hike in the price of food items.
A customer said; “The recent hike of food items is not favorable at all, things you use to buy at a lower price right now are at a high price. It only takes grace and perseverance to get things from the market these days without lamenting all the time. We really want the government to look into the recent hike in the price of foodstuffs.”
Following the threat by AUFCDN and some Northern Groups to block the supply of food items to the South, the Association of South-East Town Union had mentioned that they can do without supplies coming from the North. In a statement on Tuesday by the Union President, Emeka Diwe, the union said it would stop a capital flight caused by “the imperialism of the northern agro-cartels in Igboland.”
He said; “The target is to encourage the steady and seamless repatriation of Igbo wealth back home, thereby unleashing the potential in all the sectors of the local economy and facilitate job and wealth creation for our people through various value chains. We prepared for it, and it has aided the materialization of our initiative and fast-tracked our agenda, which is to harvest home our wealth and make our land an oasis of prosperity among the Black race”.
Also, the Yoruba Socio-Cultural group, Afenifere, Sunday Igboho, and others have set-aside the 5th of March, 2021 to campaign against the consumption of beef in the South-West region of the country. The group’s National Publicity Secretary, Yinka Odumakin, while reacting to the blockade told journalists that; “Yes, the South-West is planning to launch a campaign and we are also talking to our partners in the South-South, from the South-East and Middle Belt to be part of the campaign. We are definitely going to continue with the campaign. We will take other actions, they will hear from us”.
The campaign is tagged ‘A one-day symbolic beef boycott towards terminating the cow pandemic-End COWVID-21’
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) had on Tuesday the 2nd of March 2021 told the AUFCDN to put an end to the blockade and also urged the Federal Government to look into the union’s request so as to put an end to the disagreement as it might further complicate the socio-economic and political problems being faced in the country.
“Nigeria is not at war with itself and such drastic action is not necessary. We urge the governments, both states and federal, to engage the unions and come out with a solution.”
Amidst all these drumbeats of war and chaos, there has been no official reaction from the Presidency.
