Sorghum yield is declining in Nigeria as demand gap widens

The scarcity of sorghum in major grain markets in Kano has been attributed to insecurity in most sorghum-producing states and poor access to improved seed varieties. Recently, sorghum has been scarce in the market, and the price has gone up to over N60,000 per 100kg despite harvesting period. According to a sorghum farmer in the state, Malam Yusuf Bagudu, despite the planting of a sorghum variety introduced by the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Samaru Zaria in Kaduna State, sorghum demand has been on the rise due to the recent increase in demand for the cereal by some food companies. According to him, the demand by these companies has made the grain a hot commodity in the market, forcing a hike in its price. “Despite the fact that there has been a positive development in sorghum production through the introduction of an early-yielding variety, sorghum has been scarce these days. “Though proper sorghum harvest has not started yet, both human and industrial demands have ...