National Programme Manager, Wheat Development Program, Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN), Mr. Aliu Samaila, has said that the utilization of locally produced wheat seeds will enable the prices of bread to drop nationwide, noting that imported ingredients are responsible for high prices.
He made this disclosure while addressing journalists on Wednesday, November 22, 2023, in Abuja at the Regional Wheat Summit 2023 organized by the West and Central Africa Collaborative Wheat Network.
Mr. Samaila noted that the main factor contributing to the escalating prices of bread is the dependence on imported ingredients, prompting a collaborative response from experts and industry leaders.
In his words, “Many scientists and stakeholders have gathered to localize production, aiming to reduce costs. In the last two or three years, we have been using local seed companies to produce the seeds farmers use, but the foundation seed is imported. This time around, we’re going to use seeds locally produced by the Lake Chad research institute.
“We have given them our support, and from next year, you’ll see us multiplying local foundation seed. So, in the right direction, we call on all other stakeholders to follow suit so that in years to come, we’ll be self-sufficient in seed production, which will translate into self-sufficiency in grain production and subsequently reduce the price of bread.”