‘Agriculture Is Low Hanging Fruit For Import Substitution’ – Dangote At Zenith Bank’s Non-Oil Export Seminar
The Oasis Reporters
July 20, 2022
By Greg Abolo
@gregabolo
Conditions for growing wheat
At the just concluded Zenith Bank’s Trade seminar titled, ‘Unlocking Opportunities In Nigeria’s Non-Oil Export Business’ today, July 20, 2022, the keynote speaker, Alhaji Aliko Dangote did justice to the topic that held all attendees spellbound, marshalling out the inherent benefits in an export based economy which implies importing “prosperity” and exporting “poverty”, because exporting means a nation would have to produce first, before it can export.
Great and revolutionary ideas his words were, for a country that engages it’s youthful population in productive ventures prospers and keeps trouble brewing, at bay.
One area that he touched on was the value of Nigeria’s imports, with Wheat at $2.8 billion per annum, Dairy being $1.4 billion, Sugar 0.8 and palm oil put at $0.5 billion per annum making import substitution clearly “a low hanging fruit for agriculture” that Nigeria can harness, even if only 50% of the value is targeted for import substitution.
Dangote Industries, found in 17 African countries, produces among other things, Pasta, which is wheat based. And with the ongoing war between Ukraine and Russia, two of the biggest wheat exporting nations of the world, it’s in his enlightened best interest and the growth of the national economy to advocate for home grown wheat.
While rice importation was being banned in Nigeria to favour home grown rice, many Nigerians turned to Pasta because it appeared cheaper. But with the war between Ukraine and Russia and the high cost of Pasta, those who regularly consume imported rice, bread or pasta as major staple have found themselves in dire straits.
There are many foods that Nigerians eat that are also made from wheat; these include biscuits, cookies, cakes, spaghetti, noodles and bread. Also, some local foods are made with wheat; like tuwo, fura and danwake, especially in the north.
Apart from these food products that are made with wheat; another by-product of wheat is wheat bran which is used in animal feed production.
So at the seminar, Dangote wants wheat produced at home.
But there are factors that inhibit wheat production in Nigeria as it’s farmers produce only about 300,000 tonnes nationwide, yet the milling industry in the country has the capacity to mill at least 4.5 million tonnes of wheat per annum.
Can Nigerian farmers bridge the gap?
The major requirement for wheat production is in it’s extant environmental conditions.
Wheat requires between 10-15 degrees centigrade at the time of sowing, cool temperatures during its growing season in the range of about 14°c to 18°c. Rainfall of about 50 cm to 90cm, even up to 100cm, which is most ideal.
The soil must be clay, fertile, well drained and possibly plain.
However, during harvesting season in the spring, wheat requires bright sunshine and slightly warmer temperatures which must be between 21-26 degrees centigrade.
Such weather conditions would be found in Uttar Pradesh, the largest wheat growing state in India closely followed by Punjab and Haryana, then Russia and Ukraine. Of course, not forgetting the US, Canada etc.
Nigeria lacks these favourable conditions because wheat is a temperate crop, whereas Nigeria is in the tropics.
Even when it is clear that the country is in need of more wheat farmers, with Nigeria having up to 650,000 hectares of available agricultural land for wheat production, it will be hard to take advantage of this.
The variety of wheat grown in Nigeria is called hard wheat. Unlike the winter wheat, this wheat is bred for the tropical climate. It is also heat tolerant and can be grown in many of the Northern states.
But the yield may not be too encouraging enough to make it worth the while.
The problem in Nigeria with regards to wheat farming or production is the variety that will give high yield per hectare for the farmer to break even, and that is predicated on availability of high quality certified seeds that can actually produce 4-5tons per hectare. That is what will make it viable and marketable at a competitive price to milling companies.
