Farmers and local foodstuff sellers in Kwara South Senatorial District
said the partial closure of the nation’s land borders is bringing them
more patronage and high profits.
A yam dealer in Ajase-Ipo, Alhaji Sanusi Adebayo, said the preference
for foreign rice had always impacted negatively on his sales and
income, but the situation has changed.
“The high preference for foreign rice has never helped our businesses.
It has been a problem we have been contending with as traders in yam
and other local commodities for a very long time. It has always been a
kind of stiff market competition between foreign rice and local
foodstuffs like yams, cassava, beans.
“Even for those of us involved in local rice business, it was the same
low patronage until this partial closure of the border changed things
for the better. I can tell you that since the closure of borders,
things have changed positively; apart from the increase in patronage,
our income has also been boosted.
Some of our members who had left the business due to economic downturn
are now returning as the market has been more attractive unlike in the
period before the closure,” he said.
Also a yam dealer in Iloffa, Theresa David, said that the partial
border closure had turned around the fortune of her business for the
better.
“You can see that people have started using yam to do pottage and
other recipes during weddings, engagements and other social events
more than in the past. “It is just a matter of if what you want is
not available you make do with what you have.
“The unavailability of foreign rice due to the partial border closure
has forced people to shift to other foodstuffs like yams, semovita,
beans, etc. Unlike before the closure, I can now conveniently sell
three full truckloads of yam tubers within five market days.
“Candidly, the border closure to me is a necessity that will help our
businesses to grow and will also create employment for our youths,”
she said.
