Temitope
Temitope Akinola
Nigeria is set to meet up with the local demands for wheat as it set to cut the import of the commodity by half in 2017. The Lake Chad Research Institute disclosed plans to boost its wheat output as farmers ramp up production of two new strains.
According to the Executive Director of the Institute which is based in Maiduguri, Oluwasina Olabanji, the two wheat varieties released to farmers since 2014 can produce from 3.5 metric tons to 6.5 tons per hectare (2.471-acres) and could grow with rain fed or irrigated farming.
The previous strains had maximum output per hectare of 4 tons for irrigitated farms and 2.5 tons per hectare for those using rain water.
“I hope that by 2017, our production will hit 1.5 million metric tonnes and reduce importation by 50 percent,” said Olabanji. “This is our target and is achievable. Annual wheat production should grow at 20 percent from 2017,” He said.
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BizWatchNigeria
According to the Executive Director of the Institute which is based in Maiduguri, Oluwasina Olabanji, the two wheat varieties released to farmers since 2014 can produce from 3.5 metric tons to 6.5 tons per hectare (2.471-acres) and could grow with rain fed or irrigated farming.
The previous strains had maximum output per hectare of 4 tons for irrigitated farms and 2.5 tons per hectare for those using rain water.
“I hope that by 2017, our production will hit 1.5 million metric tonnes and reduce importation by 50 percent,” said Olabanji. “This is our target and is achievable. Annual wheat production should grow at 20 percent from 2017,” He said.
Read More
BizWatchNigeria
