By Abdallah el-Kurebe
The National Programme Manager of the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN), Dr. Aliyu Samaila, has said that Nigerian wheat farmers have cultivated a total of 114,000 hectares in 16 states.
ASHENEWS reports that Samaila stated this during the Wheat Farmers Green Field Day in Sokoto on Tuesday.
The field day is an annual event organised by the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN), with membership including Food and Agro-Allied Group, Northern Nigeria Flour Mills Plc, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Olam Grains, Dufil, and Seaboard West Africa Ltd.
Also speaking, the chairman of Sokoto state chapter of the association, Muhammadu Mahe Marafa, who was represented by the Secretary, Yusuf Muhammad, said N200 million, as well as 2,400 bags of wheat, were recovered from loans given to its members.
He called on all wheat farmers that were yet to, pay up the loans they are owed.
Also, the Sokoto branch manager of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Faruk Abdullahi disclosed that the country spends N2 billion for the importation of wheat annually.
While commending FMAN for sustaining the annual event, the CBN added that wheat farming undertaken by Nigerian farmers will curb spending on the import of the product.
The Permanent Secretary of Sokoto State Ministry of Agriculture, who was represented by the Director of Administration, Muhammad Abubakar Bello commended FMAN, and pledged the state government’s continued support.
Goodwill messages were delivered by representatives of stakeholders including, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Sow Agritech Seed, and the Sokoto Agricultural Development Project.
