By IBUKUN EMIOLA

The dominance of middlemen and weak agricultural market structures have been emphasised as factors driving up food prices in Nigeria.

Mr John Olateru, National First Deputy President, All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan on Tuesday.

He said that farmers were largely unable to control the pricing and distribution of farm produce due to the lack of storage and processing facilities, including access to structured markets.

He said middlemen often took advantage of farmers’ financial pressure immediately after harvest to purchase produce at low prices.

According to Olateru, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of Terudee Farms, the middlemen store the items and release them into the market later at higher prices.

“The farmer is crying; the government is crying; but the middlemen never trade at a loss.

“They exploit the weak system and dictate prices, both at the farm gate and in the market,” he said.

He said many farmers had been forced to sell their produce cheaply due to a lack of storage facilities and the need for instant cash to repay loans or meet basic needs.

Olateru noted that the situation had also influenced banks’ lending behaviour, with many financial institutions preferring to fund middlemen rather than farmers, whom they consider high risk.

“Most banks prefer giving loans to middlemen because they are merchants, while farmers are left struggling without control over their products,” he said.

He said the problem was compounded by poor infrastructure, inadequate processing capacity and climate-related risks, which make farming increasingly unpredictable.

Olateru recalled instances of farmers suffering major crop failures due to an unexpected change in rainfall patterns, adding that insurance claims in such cases were often rejected.

“When disasters happen, farmers are left alone to face the consequences, even when the fault is not theirs,” he said.

The AFAN leader also criticised government agricultural interventions, saying that a large portion of funds meant for farmers failed to reach them.

“On record, it will be said that grants were given to farmers, but in reality, those funds end up in the wrong hands,” he said.

He called for policies that would empower farmers with modern tools, processing facilities close to production centres, and flexible financial support.

According to him, enabling farmers to process produce beyond the primary stage will reduce their dependence on middlemen and improve national food security.

“All over the world, agriculture is subsidised.

“Any country that cannot feed its people is sitting on a time bomb,” Olateru said. (NAN)