Rising Fuel Costs Threaten Taraba Farmers’ Dry-Season Harvest
Higher fuel prices, fertiliser costs and labour expenses are putting pressure on irrigation farmers in Taraba State, raising concerns about the next harvest and future food supplies.
For farmers who depend on irrigation to grow crops after the rainy season, preparing the land is only the beginning of a costly process.
Water pumps must run, fertiliser must be purchased and workers must be paid. When these expenses rise faster than the expected earnings from a harvest, farmers face a difficult decision: invest more money, change crops or leave their fields uncultivated.
That challenge is confronting irrigation farmers in parts of Taraba State.
A report published by The Gazette on October 16, 2026, said farmers in Karim-Lamido, Lau and Gassol were struggling with rising production costs that threatened their plans for dry-season cultivation.
The report cited petrol prices of approximately ₦1,800 to ₦1,900 per litre in some remote farming areas, while diesel reportedly sold for about ₦2,200 per litre.
One farmer also reported that a 100-kilogramme bag of paddy rice sold for between ₦40,000 and ₦43,000, while a bag of NPK fertiliser cost approximately ₦50,000.
These figures illustrate the financial pressure farmers face before accounting for labour, transport, equipment and other expenses.
Some farmers are reportedly considering alternatives to rice and other food crops, including soybeans, melon seeds and sesame, in response to changing costs and expected returns.
Such decisions can affect not only individual farmers but also the quantity and variety of crops supplied to local markets.
If farmers reduce production, the consequences could extend to traders and households already dealing with high food costs.
Potential responses include shared irrigation equipment, support for solar-powered pumps and improved access to affordable agricultural financing.
However, the immediate concern for many farmers is whether they can afford to plant at all.
For Taraba’s farming communities, the coming dry season will test whether agricultural production can remain viable under rising operating costs.
Source: The Gazette, October 16, 2026.
