Why Dependance on Wheat Importation Persist – Agric Minister.
The Flour Milling Association of Nigeria, FMAN has pledged to create marketing opportunities for wheat farmers with an offtake of their products at 40 percent above the landed cost of imported wheat.
FMAN Head of the wheat development program, Sarah Huber explained that the association is providing a market for wheat farmers in Nigeria, to expand yield and invest in high breed seeds to enhance production.
Sarah Huber spoke on Monday at The International Wheat Farmers Field day held at Dambatta in Kano.
She said the association initiated an out-grower program with 400 farmers in Kano and Jigawa loans of high-yielding seeds and agronomic support.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Alh. Sabo Nanono declared that Nigeria may continue to depend on foreign production low investment in local production despite the huge spendings on wheat importation.
Nigeria spends $6 billion (USD), equivalent to N2.2 trillion on the importation of about 5.6 million metric tonnes of wheat annually to aggregate high demand. With less production capacity and an acute shortage of technology, Nigeria produces less than 60,000 metric tonnes as of 2020, less than 4 percent of total demand.
The Agriculture Minister blamed continue dependence on importation on the failure of the state government to create enabling environment for farmers to boost local production. Besides, the minister regretted that despite the resources based in the country to improve yield, farmers are still lacking basic necessities in their respective states.
On the part of the Federal government, the minister disclosed that his ministry is working towards enhancing the capacity of agricultural research institutes to produce improved seeds to enhance production. He added that the Federal government is deploying 70,000 agric extension experts to assist farmers.
On his part, the national president of wheat farmers association, Alh. Salim Mohammad appealed to the Federal government to consider enrolling wheat in the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN anchor borrow program. He also solicited mechanization equipment for wheat farmers to boost local production.
