Mechanisation cost: More farmers opt for ox-drawn ploughs

Farmers in parts of northern Nigeria are increasingly turning to the use of oxen for ploughing their farms as soaring diesel prices drive up the cost of tractor services ahead of the current farming season. Some farmers who spoke to Daily Trust said the high cost of diesel, coupled with declining prices of agricultural produce, […]

Farmers in parts of northern Nigeria are increasingly turning to the use of oxen for ploughing their farms as soaring diesel prices drive up the cost of tractor services ahead of the current farming season.

Some farmers who spoke to Daily Trust said the high cost of diesel, coupled with declining prices of agricultural produce, has made tractor services unaffordable, forcing many to reduce the size of land under cultivation or return to traditional methods of land preparation.

A farmer in Lere Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Alhaji Sani Sulaiman Saminaka, said tractor operations had declined significantly this year because operators could no longer charge what they did last year.

He said a farm that was ploughed for about N50,000 last year could no longer be serviced at the same rate because diesel prices had risen sharply.

“Last year, a litre of diesel sold for about N1,000, but this year it costs more than N2,000. I used cattle to work on my farms this year, whereas last year I spent more than N1 million on tractor services.

“This year, some farmers have abandoned tractor services because of the cost. You will see tractors everywhere looking for work because only a few farmers can afford their services,” he said.

Another farmer, Alhaji Lawal Abubakar, said the cost of tractor ploughing had risen considerably due to the increase in diesel prices.

According to him, a farm that cost N100,000 to plough last year now costs about N150,000, while one that cost N40,000 now attracts about N60,000.

“Like me, the farm that was ploughed for N65,000 last year cost me N100,000 this year. Another farm that cost N160,000 last year now costs N250,000.

“It is true that the high cost of diesel has affected farming. Farmers are discouraged. Those who cultivated 10 hectares in the past can hardly cultivate five hectares this year,” he said.

Another farmer, Alhaji Abdul Shitu, described the situation as unprecedented.

He said tractor owners had informed farmers that they could no longer provide services at last year’s rates because of rising operating costs.

“We farmers also believe we should not pay more than what we paid last year because the price of maize has fallen.

“That is why we have gone back to using cattle for ploughing instead of tractors. Tractor ploughing can cost N300,000, while cattle ploughing can be done for about N150,000.

“This year, I divided my farm into two. One half was ploughed with a tractor and the other half with cattle. A farm that cost N300,000 to plough last year costs me N500,000 this year.

“I had never used cattle for ploughing before, but because of this problem, I had to do so this year. Even tractor owners are not getting jobs. Farmers are unable to cultivate as much as they would like,” he said.

Shitu called on the federal, state and local governments to support farmers through fertiliser subsidies to reduce production costs.

“We are calling on the federal, state and local governments to help farmers by subsidising fertiliser so that it becomes more affordable,” he said.

A tractor operator, Abdura’ub Musa, said demand for tractor services had dropped sharply compared to previous years.

He said many farmers who would ordinarily hire tractors were now opting for cattle because they could not afford the increased charges.

“There was a farmer who initially agreed to hire a tractor but later changed his mind and decided to use cattle instead.

“A farm that cost N40,000 to plough with a tractor last year now costs about N60,000. Despite that, many farmers still cannot afford it.

“We now buy diesel at N2,050 per litre, whereas last year it sold for about N1,100 per litre.

“Many farmers have already sold their crops and have no produce left to sell to raise money for farming,” he said.

According to him, tractor operators who previously had long queues of customers are now struggling to find work.

“This year, there is low patronage for tractor-ploughing services. In the past, farmers queued up for our services. Now, tractors move around looking for work,” he added.