The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine has plunged durum wheat importation by N144.59 billion in the first nine months of 2022, the data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has shown.
In the period under review, Nigeria imported durum wheat worth N753.59 billion, down from N898.19 billion reported in the corresponding period of 2021.
Durum wheat is a variety of spring wheat that’s typically ground into semolina and used to make pasta.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, the price of durum wheat rose by 50% while its importation has declined by 16%.
Explaining the price differential, Tola Ogunnubi, the National Public Relations Officer, National Wheat Farmers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria, said “Before the war, it was selling for N27,000 to N28,000 for 100kg, it is N41,000 to N42,000 now.”
According to NBS, durum wheat is Nigeria’s major agricultural import. However, the ongoing war in Ukraine forced importers to start importing from the U.S. and other countries.
The report said, “The major agriculture goods imported in Q1, 2022 included Durum wheat (not in seeds) were from the United States with N71.56bn and Argentina with N59.04bn.
“The major agriculture goods imported in Q2, 2022 included ‘Durum wheat (not in seeds)’ from the United States of America with N70.67bn and Lithuania with N60.87bn. The major agriculture goods imported in Q3, 2022 included ‘Durum wheat (not in seeds)’ from the United States of America with N78.29bn and Poland with N45.62bn.”
Wheat is used mainly as flour in the production of bread, noodles, pasta and other major food items. Therefore, the decline in wheat importation is responsible for the jump in prices of bread, pasta and other food items.
Ogunnubi said, “Wheat importation is decreasing but it doesn’t mean that we have achieved wheat sufficiency as such. We have wheat still retaining the third position in terms of commodities that engulf the highest FX. It is after refined petrol products and gas.
“Wheat is still the third highest and we are looking at a situation where we have wheat sufficiency just as we’ve had in rice. We are looking forward to the government encouraging wheat farming, and production. We are imploring the government to come into the entire value chain of wheat production. From planting processing, distribution, everything across the full value chain.”
“Wheat is fast becoming a staple food. If people are not eating maize, they are eating bread, flour, spaghetti, which are some of the side products from wheat. So why are not sufficient.
“The crisis in Russia and Ukraine is affecting importation but that does not mean there are no other markets for importation. The durum wheat that we tend to process in Nigeria can be sourced from Mexico. It is not as if people are not looking in that direction, but the CBN is not giving foreign exchange. The CBN is not giving FX for wheat importation.”
