The National Ginger Association of Nigeria on Thursday expressed its distress over the setback faced by the 2023 ginger season in southern Kaduna due to an outbreak of an unidentified disease.
According to the association, this has resulted in a loss of over N10 billion to the state’s economy.
The National President of the Association, Squadron Leader Nuhu Dauda (retd.), who disclosed this in Kachia, Kaduna State, urged both the federal and state governments to put in necessary measures to curb the menace of the disease from causing more damage to ginger farming in the state.
This was as the association, in collaboration with a group, the Non-Farmers Initiative, empowered eighteen ginger farmers with N50,000 each in the Kachia Local Government Area of the state.
Daudu, in an interview with journalists, further urged the governments to provide palliatives so as to reduce the pandemic currently ravaging ginger farms in the southern part of the state.
The NGAN boss also disclosed that due to the lack of a Ginger Processing Plant, Nigeria’s ginger was unable to attract competitive prices in the world market.
“It is therefore logical to set up a Ginger Processing Plant in order to meet the international quality standard. The quality of our processed ginger and its packaging have made our dear nation perform far below expectations in ginger export around the world,” he added.
The Chairman of Kachia LGA, Hon. Aaron Bako, while speaking, said ginger remained the major source of livelihood for the people of Kachia.
