Why Nigerian govt resorted to food importation – Agric minister

The Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Abubakar Kyari, said on Sunday the Federal Government resorted to importation of food items due to the lean production season.

The minister, who featured in Channels Television’s programme, Sunday Politics in Abuja, assured Nigerians that food inflation would soon be a thing of the past.

He stressed that Nigeria would experience a bumper harvest soon.

“We’re expecting a bumper harvest,” Kyari said.

The minister also explained that the Importation of food items was a result of the cyclical issue in farming season.

READ ALSO:Appeal Court dismisses Kyari’s move to quash drug charge

He pointed out that the lean season was the reason the federal government resorted to importation of specific food items to reduce the impact of these low-yield crops and high prices of staple food in the market.

“The season that we find ourselves now is a cyclical issue that you have in agriculture. This is what you call the lean season and this is between June, July and August before the next harvest.

“That is why Mr. President has decided to import rice, maize, wheat and other staple foods. As soon as all the fiscal issues have been worked out and the ministry of finance and customs have issued out the fiscal aspect of it,” Kyari stated.

By: Babajide Okeowo

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now