Why Plateau strawberry farmers are losing millions

In Jos, the capital of Plateau State, strawberries are among the most frequently hawked fruits, largely because the state is Nigeria’s leading producer of the crop. Owing to the abundance of this highly sought-after fruit, which has significant nutritional and economic value, women are commonly seen selling strawberries along major roads, at street corners and […]

In Jos, the capital of Plateau State, strawberries are among the most frequently hawked fruits, largely because the state is Nigeria’s leading producer of the crop.

Owing to the abundance of this highly sought-after fruit, which has significant nutritional and economic value, women are commonly seen selling strawberries along major roads, at street corners and in markets across the city.

Strawberries are largely cultivated in Plateau State because of its favourable climate. As a temperate crop, strawberries thrive best in cooler regions, making the state particularly suitable for their cultivation.

The crop is mainly grown in areas such as the Chaha District, Vom, in Jos South Local Government Area, as well as other parts of the state. Despite its enormous potential, strawberry farming has faced persistent challenges over the years, especially in Plateau State where cultivation conditions are otherwise favourable.

One of the strawberry farmers in Jos South, Markus Choji, said farmers have been grappling with numerous difficulties in strawberry cultivation over the years.

Choji, who is also the Secretary of the Strawberry Farmers Association in the state, said he currently cultivates one hectare of strawberry and has been in the business for about 20 years.

“I can say that this should have been a profitable venture for us, but our challenges have worsened in recent times,” he said.

According to him, a company once came to Jos and encouraged farmers to increase production with the promise of purchasing their strawberries.

“What happened was that a particular company came and encouraged us to produce strawberry for them. We went out of our way to cultivate it, but they did not eventually come back to buy,” he said.

Choji said one of their biggest challenges remains transportation of the produce from Jos to major markets in states such as Kaduna, Abuja, Lagos and Kano, where they have regular buyers.

“The best we often do is to get the produce to Kaduna and Abuja, which are closer. Transporting it further is always a challenge because strawberry is highly perishable and needs to be flown out of the state,” he explained.

He noted that the absence of storage facilities such as cold rooms has worsened the situation.

“That is where the issue of storage facilities and cold rooms comes in. We don’t have these facilities, so the only option is to transport quickly by air. Over the years, Arik Air accommodated us, but since the takeover by ValueJet, which currently operates the Jos–Lagos–Abuja route, things have not been smooth,” he said.

Choji added that two companies that had shown interest in partnering with the farmers later withdrew, citing logistical challenges.

He further disclosed that a woman involved in the fish business once partnered with them by allowing farmers to store strawberries in some of her spare freezers, but the arrangement did not last due to unforeseen circumstances.

Choji said he invested between N6 million and N7 million to cultivate one hectare of strawberry and that, under ideal conditions, he should be making at least N3 million in profit. However, he said he is currently struggling just to recover his capital.

Another farmer, Bitrus Dalyop, also lamented the lack of storage facilities such as cold rooms or cold vans, as well as the absence of cargo aircraft to transport strawberries from Plateau State to other parts of the country where demand is high.

Dalyop said these were critical areas where government intervention was needed, as they were beyond the capacity of individual farmers.

“I am a strawberry farmer, and just this week I harvested two tonnes, which is 400 cartons of five kilograms each, amounting to 2,000kg,” he said.

“I know at least five people who have farms the size of mine, while others are smaller. All of us are facing these same challenges, so we are often forced to rely on middlemen to help with distribution.”

He added that while there are a few production-related challenges, they are relatively minor. These include inadequate water supply due to reliance on small dams, poor access roads to farms, and the high cost of powering generators with fuel or solar energy to pump water.

“For those who can even afford it, fuel or solar is used to power generators for irrigation. If the government can provide grants and soft loans, it will go a long way in assisting farmers,” he said.

On her part, Mrs Grace Bitrus said she started cultivating strawberries about five years ago and that during the current planting season, she cultivated 0.2 hectares, from which she harvested about 35 cartons, amounting to roughly 1.5 tonnes.

She said farmers have been recording losses due to flight-related challenges to Lagos and other destinations.

“Most times, customers are already waiting for us in Lagos, but if the flight does not take the strawberry because of space or other issues, the produce is left behind at the airport and eventually spoils,” she said.

Mrs Bitrus explained that customers would only send payment after the strawberries had been successfully delivered and received.

According to her, whenever strawberries are deposited at the airport for airlifting and the arrangement fails, farmers often abandon them.

“We don’t bother going back to pick them up because it would be a waste of time and effort, as the strawberries would already be spoilt,” she said.

Reacting to the farmers’ concerns, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Samson Bugama, told our correspondent that the state government has instituted a horticultural development programme, with support from the Dutch government, to address agricultural challenges in the state.

He said strawberry production is a key focus of the programme when it takes off.

According to Bugama, the state is also working with the World Vegetable Center to tackle challenges associated with vegetable production in Plateau State.

On storage and transportation, the commissioner said the state government is collaborating with the Ministry of Finance Incorporated to attract investors to establish large cold storage facilities for vegetables.

He added that he had been in Abuja engaging with the Office of the Vice President to explore the possibility of securing a carrier to transport strawberries since Arik Air stopped operating in Jos.

“Currently, ValueJet has agreed to transport our agricultural produce, lifting one tonne per week to Lagos and Abuja for farmers. However, we need a permanent solution. We are therefore engaging other private airlines to establish a cargo route from Plateau State so that we can resolve the problem once and for all,” he said.