Nigeria is endowed with an abundance of yams, accounting for at least 70-76 percent of total yam production worldwide, making it the world’s largest producer of yams. It is no surprise that many people in Nigeria start yam businesses because yam is not only food crop but also a cash crop that contributes greatly to the country’s economic prosperity. These staple foods are appreciated by many people in this area of the world, and if you want to discover which states in Nigeria produce them in plenty, we recommend that you continue reading.
The quantity of this crop planted, harvested, and sold by each of Nigeria’s yam producing states is used to determine which Nigerian states are the highest yam producers in the country. The country’s yam producing states are rich in the correct soil type for farming this agricultural produce, and we’ll have a look at what they are below.
1. Taraba State
Taraba State is currently Nigeria’s leading yam producer. Taraba, one of the main yam producing states in the country, currently accounts for more than thirteen percent of the total yam output in Nigeria. Taraba State has an abundance of fertile land, which encourages the cultivation, harvesting, and ultimately marketing of yams to other regions of the country and around the world. Taraba State’s Wukari and Danacha areas are well renowned for their significant contributions to yam growing in the state.
2. Benue State
Benue State, the nation’s food basket, is the second largest yam producing state in Nigeria today, producing over 1.5 metric tonnes of yam each year. The Zaki Biam market, located in Benue State, is responsible for an abundant supply of yams and other agricultural produce that both sustains indigenes of the State and is exported to other parts of Nigeria, generating huge revenues for the State. This is thought to be the world’s largest yam market.
3. Nasarawa State
Nasarawa State has a long history of growing yams, so it’s no surprise that it ranks among Nigeria’s top yam-producing states. Nasarawa State cultivates paper yam, the most popular form of yams in Nigeria and a highly sought after yam species. White and yellow yams are also grown in this Northern Nigerian state. Nasarawa has rich soil and a favorable environment for yam growing, allowing it to remain a major producer of high-quality yams in Nigeria.
4. Oyo State
Oyo State, with an annual yam yield of 2.4 metric tonnes, is currently Nigeria’s third largest yam producing state. Yams from Oyo State are well-known for their great quality and are in high demand throughout the country. Oyo State emphasizes agriculture, as seen by the vast quantity of high-quality yams produced each year. Aside from yam, other crops grown in the state include cassava, maize, rice, and beans.
5. Kaduna State
Kaduna State is also one of Nigeria’s largest yam producing states, producing this food crop in significant quantities due to its favorable climate and soil conditions. Kaduna State is an agriculturally inclined state, with many residents favoring farming as one of their primary jobs, resulting in a continuous growth in crop yields, particularly yams, over time.
6. Niger State
Niger State is another well-known state for its agricultural competence, particularly in yam production. Niger State produces a large proportion of the yams consumed in Nigeria. You can bet that the next time you eat a great platter of yam, regardless of how it is served, it came from Niger State.
7. Enugu State
Enugu State is also among the top ten yam producing states in Nigeria right now. Their climate and soil type encourage commercial yam growing, and the State has huge marketplaces where yams are sold in great quantities.
Many yam traders who cannot drive far north to source their yams frequently visit Enugu State to purchase in bulk. The yams are likewise of the highest quality found anywhere in the country.
8. Ogun State
Ogun State is also among the finest yam producing states in Nigeria. It consistently ranks among the top states in the world for the production of high-quality food crops, including yam. A very competitive yam market exists in the Yewa district of Ogun State, with several dealers competing to outbid one another in order to buy yams from local farmers. This assures a consistent supply of yams in Ogun State and helps the state generate revenue internally.
9. Anambra State
Anambra State is also a top yam producer in Nigeria nowadays. Anambra, like Enugu State, is widely renowned for its large supply of excellent quality yams, and the two states are the most abundant producers of yams in the country’s eastern region. Yam species found in Anambra State include white and yellow yams, as well as other yam species.
10. Osun State
Osun State also helps to explain why Nigeria is the world’s top producer of yams. This main yam producing state in Nigeria provides a variety of high-quality yam tubers that are in high demand among traders. The temperature and soil conditions in Osun State favor large-scale yam farming, which contributes significantly to the state’s economy.