Wheat Production Has Dropped By 89.4 Percent

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Wheat Production Has Dropped By 89.4 Percent
Wheat Production Has Dropped By 89.4 Percent

According to the Federal Government, wheat production in Nigeria has dropped by 89.44%, from around 350,000 metric tonnes per year to as low as 36,943.8MT.

According to the latest report of Wheat Production Survey in Nigeria 2021 obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics, 36,943.8MT was produced in 13 states.

This was revealed by the FMARD in its report on Recommended Strategies to Improve the Wheat Value Chain in Nigeria, which was presented at the 2021 Wheat Stakeholders Workshop.

The NBS, however, estimated the amount of wheat produced in 13 states across the country at 36,943.8MT in its Wheat Production Survey in Nigeria 2021, which was released in Abuja on Sunday.

According to industry sources, the increase in the cost of bread and pastries caused by the increase in flour prices was due to low domestic production and high imports of wheat, a major raw material for flour used in baking.

The NBS, on the other hand, stated that wheat farming was gaining traction among policymakers who saw Nigeria’s potential for self-sufficiency in wheat production.

“However, as important as wheat is, we cannot say with certainty the actual quantity of wheat produced in the country because conflicting figures have been published from various sources,” the bureau stated.

“There has been no recent survey or study to estimate wheat production in Nigeria,” it added. The most recent official estimate of wheat acreage is 60,000 hectares, dating back to 2008.

“A lot has changed since then, and this study provided an overview of Nigeria’s current wheat production.” The NBS conducted a wheat production survey across 13 Nigerian states for the 2020/2021 farming season.”

The bureau examined wheat production in 13 northern states and concluded that the crop was grown on an area of approximately 11,820 hectares, yielding 36,943.8MT of grain across the states studied.

Kano, Jigawa, Kebbi, Bauchi, Kaduna, Gombe, Yobe, Katsina, Plateau, Sokoto, Zamfara, Borno, and Adamawa were among the states mentioned.

According to the report, Kano had the most wheat cultivation area (19.68%), followed by Jigawa (17.69%), and Zamfara had the least (1.62 per cent).

Similarly, a state-by-state comparison of wheat production for 2021 revealed that Kano was the leading producer, with a production of 6,512.8MT, followed by Jigawa (5,854.8MT), Kebbi (4,422MT), and Zamfara (672MT).

However, the major wheat-growing states’ average yield per hectare was low when compared to other states, with Plateau State recording the highest yield of 3.8 tonnes/hectare.

It was followed by Gombe (3.7 tonnes/hectare), Kaduna (2.7 tonnes/hectare), Kano (2.8 tonnes/hectare), and Jigawa (2.8 tonnes/hectare).

Speaking on behalf of farmers, AFAN National Vice President, Chief Daniel Okafor, told our correspondent that if insecurity and other concerns in the sector are not addressed, the situation may worsen.

“What happened last year that affected wheat production was a general issue in Nigeria, as it also affected other crops,” he explained. However, only a few states in Nigeria cultivate wheat.

“Climate change is one factor that will have a negative impact on crop production in 2021.” That is the first thing I know that has an impact on production, and it has a negative impact on wheat.

“Also, the way and manner in which the Ministry of Agriculture promotes crop production does not help matters.” They must alter their interactions with crop associations and farmers.”

“They should give farmers the necessary training, especially for special crops like wheat,” he added. This will ensure that farmers use good agricultural practices in wheat production, which will undoubtedly help to increase our various outputs.”

“Another thing is that farmers are not going to their farms again, and this is a problem for the country,” Okafor said of insecurity. This is due to an increase in kidnappings and other crimes across the country.”

He stated that wheat was widely used in Nigerian confectioneries, which was why imports of the commodity had increased over the years.

According to the FMARD report, domestic wheat production in the 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s was around 5,700MT, 65,000MT, 50,000MT, and 170,000MT, respectively, while imports were 148,000MT, 194,000MT, 680,400MT, and 1.1 million MT.

Domestic consumption was estimated to be 144,000MT, 191,000MT, 686,000MT, and 1.115 million MT during the periods.

According to the report, national production levels fell to 50,000MT and 70,000MT, respectively, in the 2000s and 2010s, with consumption levels of 883,000MT and 3.41 million MT, and imports of 861,200MT and 3.316 million MT, respectively.

The ministry went on to say that wheat consumption was on the rise in Nigeria as a result of population growth, changing food preferences, and a strong urbanisation trend.

Local production faces challenges such as low mechanisation, biotic and abiotic stress such as pests and diseases, low soil fertility, and a lack of appropriate technology, according to the FMARD.