Yam marketers across Taraba State and its environs have appealed to government at all levels to provide incentives and other facilities to enable the Wukari yam market, adjudged the largest yam market, in the country to thrive.

Located in Wukari local council of Taraba State, the market, sitting on four hectares of land, and known as home to all varieties of yam from the African soil, is gradually turning to a shadow of its old self.

The yam marketers across the state who bared their minds to The Guardian on the deplorable conditions of the market, said the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from the market is capable of placing Taraba among the top 10 richest states in Nigeria if well managed.

Chairman of the yam market, Jerry Yakubu, who said the market, which has been exporting yam to all African countries, Asia, North and South America among other continents, have been left uncared for.

While noting that there is nowhere in the country, where yams are produced in large quantities like Wukari, he pleaded for government’s intervention and restructuring to boost the state’s revenue.

“This market needs to be upgraded to an international standard, in addition, Wukari community needs a cargo airport to ease and enhance the transportation of goods and services within the North East and North Central geopolitical zones,” he said.

While identifying lack of storage facilities, as major hindrances bedeviling the market, he said majority of their yams are stored through crude methods, which does not speak well of the market.

“There is need for modern storage facilities in the area so as to ensure durability of yams, we also need yam processing facilities. These would help in preserving the perishable product as yams can be processed in many ways for the usage of the people,” Yakubu said.

A yam farmer, Tsoken Abe, said it is high time the yam market is upgraded to an international standard.

Abe, who was of the view that the infrastructural facilities at the market at the moment need improvement, said the market has been playing significant roles in providing job opportunities to many people. He expressed optimism that if the market is upgraded, it stands the chance of providing several job opportunities to unemployed Nigerians.