Wheat Flour: Nigeria Spends $3.7b Yearly On Importation – IITA

wheat

The International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA) has said that Nigeria spends $3.7 billion annually on the importation of wheat flour.
Mr Samiran Mazumdar, the Head, Hotel and Catering Services of the institute, said that on Thursday in Uyo at the opening of a two-day training programme for Master Bakers from South-South region.
The training is a step forward in the execution of the Federal Government’s new policy on the 20 per cent inclusion of cassava flour in bread baking.
Mazumdar said that various countries had different types of bread made from different crops.
According to him, it is not abnormal for Nigeria to have its bread made from cassava flour.
“It is about our survival and eradication of hunger; it will bring down the cost of bread and also satisfy the consumers.
“It is in our hands to have a better tomorrow, maintain food safety and ensure that our people consume the best.’’
The catering expert explained that cassava flour has low sugar content and rich in fibre.
Mazumdar said that it was advisable for diabetic patients to eat the cassava bread.
In a message, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Adewumi Adesina, said that Nigeria was one of the leading producers of cassava in the world.
The minister was represented by his Special Adviser on Technical Matters, Mr Tony Egba.
He said that it was the policy of the Federal Government to add value to cassava outside eating it as foofoo or gari.