Agriculture Pulse · Issue 2
Agriculture Pulse — Issue 2
Sent 9 November 2026
The dry season is starting, so plan water and shade for crops, animals and fish: NiMet has warned of hotter days, more dust and possible water shortages.
Season and weather watch
In a post on 23 October 2026, NiMet said less rain, less cloud and shifting winds can make days hotter (TVC News on NiMet, 23 Oct 2026). Here is what that means for the next two weeks.
- Crops: NiMet urged farmers to work in the cooler hours, keep soil moisture with mulch and watch how much water crops need (TVC News on NiMet, 23 Oct 2026).
- Livestock: Animal owners should give enough drinking water, shade and fresh air (TVC News on NiMet, 23 Oct 2026).
- Fish: Fish farmers should check pond water temperature and oxygen levels, and keep the water aerated to cut heat stress and fish deaths (TVC News on NiMet, 23 Oct 2026).
- Harvest: FEWS NET expects the September to November main-season harvest to be below last year's and below average in the most conflict-hit areas of the North West and North Central (FEWS NET, August 2026). This is an older outlook, so check it against what you see on your own farm.
- Planting and irrigation: I found no new NiMet planting dates this fortnight. Farmers are advised to check the latest NiMet updates and talk to their extension officer before deciding on planting and irrigation (TVC News, Oct 2026).
The zone lines below are from the latest daily NiMet forecast I found, for 1 November 2026 (Legit.ng on NiMet, 1 Nov 2026). The rainfall note for the South West and South South is from NiMet's seasonal outlook as reported by TVC News, Oct 2026. One day's forecast is not a two-week forecast, so check NiMet for updates.
| Zone | What NiMet said |
|---|---|
| North West | Sunny and dry across the northern states. |
| North East | Mostly dry. Light thunderstorms possible in parts of Taraba in the afternoon and evening. |
| North Central | Partly cloudy with some sunshine, and no significant rain expected. |
| South West | Afternoon thunderstorms with moderate rain in parts of Osun and Ondo. The seasonal outlook points to below-normal rainfall in parts of Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti. |
| South East | Afternoon and evening thunderstorms with moderate rain. |
| South South | Morning thunderstorms and light rain in parts of Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom. Moderate rain in other parts later in the day. The seasonal outlook points to below-normal rainfall in parts of Edo and Delta. |
Market watch
Nigeria's headline inflation eased to 14.63% in September 2026, from 15.39% in August (Nairametrics on NBS, 15 Oct 2026). Food prices were 19.59% higher than a year earlier, but they fell 1.55% from August to September (Nairametrics on NBS, 15 Oct 2026). NBS named grains, rice, eggs, onions, palm oil, vegetables, potatoes, plantain and tomatoes among the items behind the monthly change.
Lagos market prices moved the other way in October. A Nairametrics survey of 67 food items in four Lagos markets found 31 items rose in price in October, against 17 in September (Nairametrics, 1 Nov 2026). The table shows some of the prices from that survey. Lagos is only one place, so prices where you live may differ.
| Item (Lagos markets) | September | October |
|---|---|---|
| Maize, 50kg bag | ₦40,000 | ₦55,000 |
| Yellow garri, 50kg | ₦18,000 | ₦23,000 |
| White garri, 50kg | ₦19,500 | ₦21,000 |
| Brown beans, 50kg | ₦105,000 | ₦110,000 |
| Round tomatoes, big basket | ₦45,000 | ₦35,000 |
| Royal Stallion rice, 50kg | ₦49,000 | ₦48,000 |
One grain trader said poultry farms and feed makers are buying a lot of maize, which competes with household demand. Another trader said some suppliers are holding stock because they expect higher prices near the end of the year. (Nairametrics, 1 Nov 2026).
On livestock, FEWS NET expects prices to stay above average, peaking in the December to January holidays (FEWS NET, August 2026).
State figures below are yearly food inflation for September 2026 (Legit.ng on NBS, Oct 2026). Monthly changes from August to September are from TVC News on NBS, 15 Oct 2026. A minus sign means prices fell. NBS warns that states have different shopping baskets, so comparing states can mislead (TVC News on NBS, 15 Oct 2026). These are not all states, only those named in the reports.
| Zone | Food prices, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| North West | Kano: down 11.01% in the month. Yearly: Kebbi 5.4%, Sokoto 6.1%, Jigawa 8.1%. |
| North East | Monthly: Adamawa down 13.84%, Bauchi down 10.21%. Yearly: Taraba -7.5%, Yobe -0.4%, Borno 2.2%, Bauchi 5.3%. |
| North Central | Yearly: Benue 27.3%, Nasarawa 5.3%. |
| South West | Yearly: Lagos 34.4%, Ondo 31.5%, Osun 25.2%, Oyo 24.5%, Ogun 24.2%. Ondo (4.46%) and Oyo (3.82%) were also among the biggest monthly rises. |
| South East | Yearly: Imo 33.8%, Ebonyi 25.7%. Imo also had the biggest monthly rise, 5.15%. |
| South South | Yearly: Delta 30.6%, Rivers 26.8%. |
Prices are information, not advice.
Build update
- FarmMate (Live): starting a crop cycle now happens in one place. Every new cycle you start shows up straight away in your harvests, your land units and your crop dashboard.
- On agrictrail.africa: the Agricultural Stakeholders directory is easier to reach. The Ecosystem menu now links straight to the full directory, to Featured Organisations, and to the form to list your own organisation for free.
Field note
As the rains end and harmattan sets in, the biggest losses now often come after harvest and from the cold, dry weather, not from the field. Dry your maize, sorghum or rice well before bagging. The grain should rattle in your hand and feel hard when you bite it. Then store them off the floor on pallets in a cool, airy room, and check the bags every week for heat, smell or insects.
On cold, dusty nights, roll down coverings for your poultry and keep their drinkers clean, and feed fish less on very cold mornings, when they eat less. Before the dry grass builds up, clear them out from around your farm and stores to prevent fire outbreak.
Question of the issue
Tap “Answer on WhatsApp” and fill in the blanks, or reply to this email. Answer one, two or all three.
- Crops: What did you pay for a 50 kg bag of maize this month, and in which state? Answer on WhatsApp
- Livestock: What is a crate of 30 eggs selling for near you this month, and in which state? Answer on WhatsApp
- Fish: What is 1 kg of fresh catfish selling for at the farm gate this month, and in which state? Answer on WhatsApp
We will share the answers as totals by state in the next issue, only where at least 10 people answer the same question. Your name and number are never shared.
This issue was drafted with AI help from the public sources named in it and reviewed and approved by a person at AgricTrail before it was sent. Prices are information, not advice.
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