BY EZEKIEL DONTINNA
Recent steps taken by the Plateau Government to control the silent indiscriminate mopping up of farm produces by ‘scale marketers’ from the state, is one incredible decision ever made.
This is because, over the years, the unmonitored middle men who rush year-in-year-out to our farmers ahead of harvest period and mop up farm produces in communities to unknown places had operated seamlessly.
According to findings, these so- called marketers troop in from Kano, Lagos, Enugu, Niger Republic etc with heavy trucks to buy farm produces like rice, maize, millet and yam, and shift them for processing.
These peasant farmers ignorantly sell their produces very cheap at a price determined by these middle men and it has continued to reduce farmers to nothing, but mere producers without reasonable turn out.
The unfortunate part of it all, is how these poor farmers end up at the mercy of these marketers who dictate the tune inmarketing their commodities.
Some of these marketers smartly introduced modern technics like harvesters, to help and swiftly facilitate their business target in these communities.
However, the establishment of Plateau Commodity Marketing Company Limited (PLACOM), by Governor Caleb Mutfwang, to promote and sustain the marketing of commodities from Plateau State, is a right decision coming at the right time.
This will help in promoting and utilising warehouse infrastructure for post-harvest management. It will also promote the formation of virile farmers cooperatives.
Interestingly, this company is saddled with the responsibility of promoting agricultural and mineral marketing, enhancing productivity by contributing to effective management of the commodity supply chain for the farmers, artisans and buyers such as exporters and producers.
While flagging the awareness campaign in Shendam and Langtang North LGAs Monday, the Plateau State Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Hon. Samson Ishaku Bugama, noted with concern that farmers in the state have not been enjoying the fruits of their labour.
He expressed sadness that Plateau was one of the states with farmers of different economic produces, but suffers food inadequacy because of how these middle men penetrate communities and take control of what the peasant farmers what laboured for.
He said, “This is informed by His Excellency’s drive to bring value to our farmers. Along with chain of agriculture, the eventual beneficiary is not the farmer, but the middle man who uptakes what has been produced.
“So, PLACOM is coming in to bridge the gap so that it will provide more and better prices for what our farmers have produced and PLACOM will do the marketing to the outside world”, Bugama explained.
Earlier, the Special Adviser to Governor Mutfwang on Commodity Marketing and Food Security, Hon. Ezekiel Davou, disclosed that Plateau State has small data mass, no capacity to access profitable market and finances, hence the need for government to aggregate their commodities and create access to profitable market on farmers’ behalf.
He disclosed that PLACOM was going to price the commodity now that it was harvest season where prices could be generally low.
“So, we intend to look at what is supposed to be done and guarantee minimum price for farmers, create the logistics for transporting these commodities to profitable markets all over the country”, he assured.
Davou disclosed further that PLACOM would buy the produces from the farmers at a reasonable price and store them in warehouses where they would be graded according to quality so that processing companies and individuals would get quality products.
While commending Governor Caleb Mutfwang, for this initiative, the Plateau State Deputy Chairman of All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Anthony Jeremiah Goselle, described the programme as a hope rekindled and the best that has ever happened to farmers in the state.
Meanwhile, Local Council Chairmen of Shendam, Hon. Kemi Nicholas Nshe, Langtang South, Hon. Nanfa Bin and that of Quaan-Pan, Hon. Christopher Audu Manship, promised to step down the awareness to their communities.