Farmers in Nigeria have raised their wheat production projection for the 2020/21 season by seven percent on the back of improved seeds availability.
The wheat farmers predicted that they will now harvest 450,000 metric tonnes in the 2020/21 season, up from the previous projection of 420,000.
Salim Muhammad, the president of Wheat Growers Association of Nigeria disclosed this on Tuesday.
According to Muhammad, 100,000 farmers Under the Anchor Borrowers Programme of the Central Bank of Nigeria would be given the necessary incentives to improve their wheat production.
He explained that after harvest, the grains would be purchased by flour millers based on existing Memorandum of Understanding.
He said, “In total, we are thinking of cultivating over 150,000 hectares this season. Our projection for this season based on the test we conducted and available planting materials, we are expecting not less than three tonnes per hectare, meaning we are looking at 450,000 metric tonnes.”
“This season, the CBN has two programmes for wheat. The Seed Multiplication programme covers about 80,000 hectares and the programme is going specifically for wheat seed multiplication against next season,” Muhammad said.
“CBN will off-take whatever seeds have been produced and recirculate them in the next season for the farmers to plant.”