Nigeria Losses N2Trillion Annually to Wheat Importation – Flour Millers Association

The Flour Millers Association of Nigeria (FMAN) has said Nigeria losses about N2 trillion annually to wheat importation from Canada, Mexico, USA, among others, thereby hampering the country’s economic growth. Specifically, the National President of FMAN, Salim A. Salim, decried that Nigeria, which is one of the largest consumers of wheat, cannot produce what it needs, stressing the need to stem the trend.

Speaking at an event to commemorate the 2022 Wheat Farmers Greenfield Day held in Bauchi State on Tuesday, Salim stated that if Nigeria can get serious with wheat production, it would save money and make its farmers wealthy. He maintained that the country needs to concentrate on farming wheat to meet local demand. He said the association was glad to be involved in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funded Anchor borrowers Programme (ABP), noting that the initiative has boosted wheat production in 15 northern states while calling on the farmers to seize the opportunity to participate in the programme.

According to him, there are 27 demonstration wheat farms in seven LGAs of the state, assuring farmers that the wheat produced will be bought by the association. Remarking, the Governor of Bauchi State, Sen Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir, commended the Federal Government’s ABP initiative, saying if well implemented, the programme would boost food production and security. The governor, represented by the state’s Commissioner of Agriculture and Rural Development, Tula Mbami, explained that his administration invested so much in agriculture by procuring improved seedlings, pesticides, chemicals and other farming implements.

AN