FG Decries Annual Importation of 750,000mts of Sugar

Francis Sardauna in Katsina

The federal government has decried the annual importation of 750,000 metric tonnes (mts) of sugar into the country worth over N120 billion despite the abundance of the resource locally.

The Director General, Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Prof. Hussaini Doko Ibrahim, raised the alarm at a one-day capacity building workshop on investment opportunities in some strategic crops and safe use of pesticides and agro chemicals by farmers in Katsina State.

He said: “The Nigeria’s importation of raw sugar rose steadily in recent years to meet local demand. In the first half of 2018, the nation imported over 750,000 metric tonnes of raw sugar worth over N120 billion.”

Ibrahim, represented by the council’s Director of Agriculture and Agro Raw Material, Dr. B. Olugbemi, however, said RMRDC has adopted measures to ensure that Nigeria progressively reduces its level of sugar importation and attains self-sufficiency in sugar production.

To enhance the production of sugarcane in Nigeria, he said the council has embarked on sugar beet adaptive trials in some locations across the country to domesticate the agronomic practices and encourage the adoption of the crop into Nigeria’s farming system.

He stressed that the collaboration between the Katsina State government and RMRDC in promoting investment opportunities in cashew, sweet sorghum, sugar beet, beans and safe use of pesticides and agro chemicals by farmers would alleviate poverty, generate employment and boost economic development in the state.

In his remark, Governor Aminu Bello Masari represented by his deputy, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, said his administration has resuscitated the agricultural sector thereby making it one of his major priorities after education and health.

He said: “The focus is on production and distribution of improved seeds, strengthening extension services, timely procurement and distribution of fertilizer to farmers and timely provision of counterpart funding in all agricultural programmes engaged by the state.”

The governor admonished the participants whom were selected across the 34 local government areas of the state to make good use of the opportunity given to them for ultimate sustainability of crops production.