Wheat
farmers in Nigeria are planting new varieties more suited to the
tropics to boost local production and help cut imports costing more than
$4 billion a
year, a farmers group said.
farmers in Nigeria are planting new varieties more suited to the
tropics to boost local production and help cut imports costing more than
$4 billion a
year, a farmers group said.
Two
new strains of the grain identified as Reyna-28 and Norman Borlaug,
developed by the Lake Chad Research Institute, a government-owned
agricultural research
agency.
new strains of the grain identified as Reyna-28 and Norman Borlaug,
developed by the Lake Chad Research Institute, a government-owned
agricultural research
agency.
It will yields more than 3 metric tons per hectare (2.5 acres), compared with 1 ton per hectare harvested from the older types.
Mr. Salim Mohammed, president of the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria confirmed.
South
Africa, a major wheat producer in sub-Saharan Africa, estimates average
yield for the 2018 production season at 3.6 tons per hectare.
Africa, a major wheat producer in sub-Saharan Africa, estimates average
yield for the 2018 production season at 3.6 tons per hectare.
“We
have cultivated over 300,000 hectares and we hope that soon we can
produce more than one million tons a year,” said Mohammed.
have cultivated over 300,000 hectares and we hope that soon we can
produce more than one million tons a year,” said Mohammed.
Nigeria’s
wheat production stood at 60,000 tons at the end of the 2016-17 season,
according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
wheat production stood at 60,000 tons at the end of the 2016-17 season,
according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The
U.S. is the biggest exporter of wheat to Nigeria, with 3.3 million tons
arriving in 2017, followed by Russia with 1.7 million tons, according
to Nigeria’s
agriculture ministry.
U.S. is the biggest exporter of wheat to Nigeria, with 3.3 million tons
arriving in 2017, followed by Russia with 1.7 million tons, according
to Nigeria’s
agriculture ministry.
Though
wheat grows mainly in irrigated farms in northern Nigeria’s cool, dry
season from November to April, the new varieties also thrive in the wet
season,
farmers said.
wheat grows mainly in irrigated farms in northern Nigeria’s cool, dry
season from November to April, the new varieties also thrive in the wet
season,
farmers said.
Most of the wheat is milled into flour for bakeries or used to produce pasta and other wheat-based foods.
Flour
Mills Nigeria Plc, the country’s biggest miller, has provided research
grants to support the development of improved wheat strains and has also
been a
major buyer from farmers, according to Zakari Turaki, director of
research at the Lake Chad Research Institute.
Mills Nigeria Plc, the country’s biggest miller, has provided research
grants to support the development of improved wheat strains and has also
been a
major buyer from farmers, according to Zakari Turaki, director of
research at the Lake Chad Research Institute.
Nigeria
spent $4.4 billion on wheat imports last year and plans to cut
shipments 60 per cent by 2025, according to the agriculture ministry.
spent $4.4 billion on wheat imports last year and plans to cut
shipments 60 per cent by 2025, according to the agriculture ministry.
Source: Bloomberg
