Ginger industry threatened as farmers lose 90% produce to disease

Ginger farmers have raised the alarm that the industry is on the brink of collapse due to rampant fungal infections, lack of access to disease-resistant seed varieties, and skyrocketing production costs.

The farmers acknowledged the ₦6 billion intervention facility disbursed by the President in 2024 through the National Agriculture Development Fund (NADF) to support ginger production but noted that the intervention alone is not enough to address the deep-rooted challenges facing Nigeria’s ginger farmers.

A ginger farmer, Mr Jerry Tobi Olanrewaju, who works with about 2,000 farmers and represents the voice of over 10,000 ginger farmers, raised concerns over the devastating crisis threatening the livelihood of farmers and Nigeria’s comparative advantage in the global ginger market.

He said, “Ginger farming in Nigeria has become nearly impossible due to The Ginger Blight fungal infections like rhizome rot and bacterial wilt, which have devastated yields. Farmers are unable to afford quality seeds, and without immediate intervention, our once-thriving ginger industry may vanish.”

Olanrewaju noted the issues facing farmers, including the high cost of production. He noted that globally, it costs about $2,000 to $3,000 to produce one metric ton of ginger, but in Nigeria, the cost is about $100,000. Other issues include the high cost of seeds and declining yields, as farmers lose 90 per cent of their crops to disease outbreaks.

Moreover, he said Nigeria, once a dominant exporter, is losing its market share to India and China, which are now expanding into Nigeria’s traditional export destinations. He warned that this threat poses risks to national security and could lead to massive rural-to-urban migration.

The farmer stated that before the crisis, the country was producing an estimated 523,000 metric tons of ginger annually. At $2,500 per ton, Nigeria’s ginger industry was worth $1.3 billion annually in the global market.

However, due to the challenges facing farmers, Nigeria has lost an estimated 313,800 metric tons of ginger in one year, valued at $784.5 million (₦1.2 trillion) annually. The monthly loss is estimated at $65.4 million (₦103 billion), while the daily loss stands at approximately $2.1 million (₦3.3 billion).

The chief farmer pointed out that with about 100,000 farmers affected, each farmer must have lost an estimated ₦10 million to ₦15 million.

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To revive the ginger industry, he urged the government to establish a National Ginger Seed Bank, create input clusters with subsidized packages, invest in research and development, and provide an emergency intervention fund of at least ₦20 billion in revolving loans.

He also called on the government to import disease-resistant ginger seeds and restrict ginger exports for a period of two years to stabilize production.