by Idris Abdulrahman
Minister of Agriculture Abubakar Kyari, says the Federal Government is giving out 50 per cent subsidy to wheat farmers in the upcoming dry season farming to ensure massive production of the grain in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kyari spoke to newsmen shortly after inspecting assorted seed wheat productions in Kano on Friday.
” We are fully committed towards massive wheat production in the upcoming dry seasons farming for local and foreign export actions,” he said.
He explained that President Tinubu’s renewed agenda was aimed at making sure that Nigeria secured food production, starting from next Month, with wheat farming taking toll in the dry season farming.
The minister, who was in Kano and Jigawa to supervise the seeds production, expressed satisfaction that the local production was the vital component of the farming.
“Jigawa State has shown a lot of interest in wheat farming by providing 40,000 hectares of land for wheat farming, closing on the 70,000 hectares set aside by the Federal Government to achieve this year,” he said.
The minister explained that the Federal Government was making efforts to have enough seeds that would cover the 70,000 hectares provided for wheat farming.
“The breeder and foundation seeds were checked before it became satisfied to phase out wheat importation before next year’s irrigation farming.
“This is because importation of the wheat is taking a lot of Nigeria’s foreign reserve.
Kyari noted that the Federal Government planned to secure the nation’s food production and be self-sufficient, adding that local production was one way that importation of seeds would completely be stopped.
“In the next 4-5 years with the Programmes set out, Nigeria would completely stop importations of wheat seeds and be self-sufficient with the local production that would enhance food production and security.”
The minister was at the National Wheat Council Ware Houses at Sharada, AA Albasu Grains Company and Alyumna Seeds Production Company. (NAN)
