Nigeria witnesses bumper plantain harvest as prices dip, farmers eye processing boom - NaijaAgroNet

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A surge in plantain harvests across Southern Nigeria is reshaping local food markets, as farmers, traders and processors respond to what many describe as the most abundant plantain season in recent years, reports NaijaAgroNet.

From Ondo to Delta, Cross River and parts of the South-East, bunches of ripe and semi-ripe plantain have flooded rural and urban markets, causing a mild price drop at the retail end while opening new prospects for agro-processing.

Market surveys by NaijaAgroNet indicate that while a medium bunch sold for between ₦3,500 and ₦4,200 during the peak of the dry season, prices this month now range from ₦2,000 to ₦2,800 in major markets such as Ogbete (Enugu), Mile 12 (Lagos), and Relief Market (Owerri), depending on size and quality, is between ₦2,000 to ₦2,500.

Agronomists attribute the abundance to improved rainfall patterns, increased adoption of tissue culture seedlings by some smallholder clusters, and expanding acreage in plantain belts within the rainforest zone.

But while cheaper plantain brings relief to households; especially as food inflation continues to squeeze purchasing power, farmers caution that surplus without structured offtake can lead to post-harvest losses. Many plantain growers still rely on hand-to-mouth marketing, with limited access to cold-chain storage or processing hubs.

However, the bumper season has quietly ignited renewed interest in the plantain value chain. Local processors producing plantain flour, plantain chips, baby food blends, and plantain-based snacks report increased supply and lower input costs, boosting margins. Exporters targeting niche markets in Europe and the diaspora are also scouting for bulk dried plantain contracts.

A food systems analyst told NaijaAgroNet that sustaining this momentum requires linkage between producers and processors, noting that “abundance is not enough, without aggregation, credit, drying facilities and packaging support, Nigeria continues to lose value to spoilage.”

The analyst further hinted that plantain could become a strategic crop for Nigeria’s nutrition goals due to its gluten-free profile, potassium richness and compatibility with school feeding programmes.

As the season progresses, stakeholders say automation and micro-processing clusters near farm gates could transform plantain from a seasonal cash crop into a year-round agro-industrial opportunity, especially for women and youth who dominate retail plantain trade.

For now, consumers are already celebrating. From roadside bolí to plantain porridge and chips, the humble crop is enjoying its moment of abundance, and the taste of an expanding value chain.

*NaijaAgroNet | Agriculture • Food Systems • Rural Economy