The Federal Government plans a 50 per cent subsidy to wheat farmers in this year’s dry season farming to ensure massive production of the commodity in the country.
Minister of Agriculture, Abubakar Kyari, stated this while fielding questions from. newsmen shortly after inspecting assorted seed wheat productions on Friday in Kano.
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”We are fully committed towards massive wheat production in the upcoming dry seasons farming for local and foreign export,” he said.
According to him, President Tinubu’s renewed agenda was aimed at making sure that Nigeria secured food production, starting from next month, with wheat farming taking its 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 production 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.
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He explained that the Federal Government was making efforts to have enough seeds that would cover the targeted 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 wheat is taking a lot of Nigeria’s foreign reserves,” the Minister said.
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.
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“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 WareHouses at Sharada industrial area, AA Albasu Grains Company and Alyumna Seeds Production Company.
