Cassava farmers and other stakeholders in the agriculture sector have raised concern over the glut that has hit the cassava industry. The development has not only shutdown few factories, but has also plunged many farmers into huge losses.

Early this year, some stakeholders in the sector raised an alarm over what they termed “a looming glut in the cassava value chain,” warning farmers and processors to desist from abnormal pricing.

As at that period, some of the industrial processors were already experiencing glut, by way of ‘supply lockage’ – stocks of cassava flour and cassava starch kept in their warehouses beyond usual, while many were staggering production, as others had stopped producing completely.

The main reason adduced to the development then, was the fact that the demand for the products had reduced, primarily due to the fact that buyers had found cheaper alternatives in importation of product substitutes, especially corn starch in particular.

Reports had it that the significant price reduction was majorly due to the zero import duty granted on importation of corn starch by the Federal Government. The Guardian investigation as at March 2025, showed that a ton of corn starch previously sold for over N1, 000,000 reduced to N800, 000 across markets in the country, while cassava starch was still selling for between N1, 000,000 to N1, 200,000, primarily due to high cost of the raw material.

They warned that with the development, prices of cassava will be forced down as many of the cassava farmers will sell below the profit margin and in the process incur debts.

Now, the reality is dawn on the farmers. The price of the tuber crop has dropped drastically, even as many farmers are desperately looking for buyers to mop the cassava off their farms.

The Guardian investigations showed that a Pick up van of Cassava sold as high as N500, 000 in 2024 has dropped to a little over N100, 000, with the fear that the price may still drop further, especially with this raining season.

A farmer based in Imeko area of Ogun State, Yinka Idowu, who confirmed this untoward development said: “Last year, a Pick-up van of Cassava in my area was sold between N300, 000 to N500, 000. As of today, the same size of Cassava pick up van is selling for N100, 000, N80, 000, and N70, 000. There is probability it might still go low.

“I predicted last year that the cassava pick-up price will come down this year, likewise, I am also predicting right here that the price will be low till the end of this year. The price will only go up slightly by coming year. Farmers will need to wait till 2027 and 2028 when the price will jump up and skyrocket just like 2024,” he said.

Continuing, Idowu said: “Many people planted cassava last year, they will sell that cassava at low price and they will be angry that the price is low. Those who plant last year will not go near cassava planting this year because they are disappointed at the price. Strategically, smart farmers will plant this year and will still plant by coming year.”

A Cassava Processor based in Kajola, Obafemi Owode Local Council, Ogun State, Igangan and Elekokan, Ibarapa areas of Oyo State, Mr. Kazeem Lamidi, who specialises in garri, fufu and Cassava chips processing, who also predicted this development, disclosed that any excess or shortage in cassava production from Oyo State at any point in time has a direct and often dramatic effect on the pricing of cassava tubers and products in other states.

He said: “Expectedly, Oyo State has been one of the hardest hit since the market glut began in February 2025. When industrial processors slowed down their procurement, even the consistent demand of cassava tubers for garri and fufu processing, within and outside the state was not enough to cushion the situation.

“Supply heavily outweighed demand, and prices crashed beyond imagination. Directly or indirectly, other states started feeling the ripple effects of Oyo State oversupply, as their local markets were flooded with cassava, dragging down prices across board.

“A glimmer of change came in May when a major ethanol processor in North Central region, which had ceased cassava chips procurement earlier in the year, suddenly resumed buying. In just a week, village supply price of cassava tubers in Igangan and other parts of Ibarapa rose from N130,000 to N150,000 per pickup load (about 2.3 tons), while the price of unpeeled cassava chips jumped from N18,000 to N23,000 per 100kg bag. It was a breath of fresh air.

“Soon after, excitement followed news of Ghanaian merchants arriving to offtake 1,000 tons of cassava chips from Nigeria. One would think this would be the big break farmers had been praying for, but it turned out to be another ‘motion without movement’. Despite the abundant cassava tubers in farms, there is a serious shortage of dried chips on ground.

“The reason is simple—the rains have come. Manual sun-drying, the common method for cassava chip dehydration, is now struggling under soggy skies. What normally took two to three days during the dry season now takes about a week. I remember clearly when, a few months ago, I urged farmers to take advantage of the sunny days to convert their tubers into chips or lafun, which they could store and sell later. Here we are, today.”

He lamented that currently, local industrial processors are barely active, as many have either scaled down or shut down due to the influx of cheaper, imported alternative derivatives, freely making their way into the Nigerian market, courtesy of contradicting government policies and conflicting waivers.

“This is how we cripple our own economy while helping other countries thrive. The same cassava processors that should be mopping up the tubers are idle, not due to lack of capacity, but because the companies they usually supply are now patronising imported alternatives. And yet, we say we want to boost local cassava production.

“It becomes difficult to understand who we are really producing for. It is almost as if the massive investments into cassava farming and processing were made for the benefit of foreign economies. What a contradiction.

“With more production supports rolling out nationwide, and the expectation of bountiful harvests in the coming seasons, one thing is clear: if the government does not address the damaging policies affecting local processors, then these processors—especially those in the business of HQCF and cassava starch, must begin to rethink.

“Export may soon become the only path to sustainability. It might be painful, but it could save the industry and hard-earned investment from total collapse while we wait—hopefully not in vain—for a national rethink that places local industry interests first,” Lamidi said.