Insurgency affecting grain business in Katsina

A grains merchant in Funtua market Malam Salisu Alfa said it is now impossible for them to transport their grains to markets in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states due to insecurity; a situation that he said stagnate the prices of grains particularly that of maize, rice and sorghum.“Grains business is no longer like before, when […]

A grains merchant in Funtua market Malam Salisu Alfa said it is now impossible for them to transport their grains to markets in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states due to insecurity; a situation that he said stagnate the prices of grains particularly that of maize, rice and sorghum.
“Grains business is no longer like before, when we were transporting it to Maiduguri, Baga and Mubi in Borno and Adamawa states. Our merchants can no longer go to those places as a result of the insurgency bedeviling the region hence there is no significant appreciation in prices of farm produce in our markets.” Salisu Alfa said.
He also said before the eruption of the insurgency, businessmen from parts of Chad and Cameroon Republics came to buy grains from Sheme, Dandume, Bakori and Funtua markets; but now such businessmen hardly come.
Another grains transporter and a farmer from Kankara, Malam Umar Abdulazeez said the business is not bubbling like before in Tasawa market, Niger republic, where he transports his grains weekly.
“Many merchants that could not go to north east are now diverting their goods to markets in Niger republic, a development that is making the supply higher than the demands in the markets.” He said.