The Federal Government says it has directed fish importers to go into backward integration via commercial aquaculture production of pond and cage culture to boost local production of fish.

Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, said this in Abuja on Tuesday at the onset of a two-day stakeholders’ workshop on the WorldFish Nigeria Research Programme.

Lokpobiri said that the move was necessary to enable the country to reduce its fish imports and meet the demand gaps in fish production in the country.

He said that the national demand for fish stood at 3.2 million tonnes, while the production rate currently stood at 1.1 million tonnes.

“Our fish is basically imported and we want to see how we can develop a cheaper way of feeding fish to enable the cost of production to be low.

“The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development has directed all fish importers to go into backward integration through commercial aquaculture (pond and cage culture).

“Some of the companies which have complied have been duly certified and can now export their fish and fishery products, including shrimps, to the international markets,’’ Lokpobiri said.

Dr James Apochi, the National Project Coordinator of the West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), said that the project was promoting aquaculture production.

He said that for the country to achieve self- sufficiency in fish production; it must invest in the production of fingerlings and fish feeds as well as post-harvest fish processing.

The project coordinator said that the National Centre of Specialisation (NCoS), adopted by WAAPP, had generated and released 11 technologies to facilitate fish production.

He noted that techniques for the production of all-male tilapia species, which could contribute 30 per cent to the current annual fish stock of the country and production of all-round fingerlings, was generated.

News Agency of Nigeria reports that the workshop was organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in collaboration with an international organisation, WorldFish, to increase fish production in the country.

CBN Rallies Banks For N25b Agric Investments In Sunti

Agric Investments: The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has invested no less than N25 billion under its agriculture intervention efforts in Sunti Golden Sugar, as it restates commitment to the development of the sector and its allied products.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, who made the disclosure at the inauguration of the Sunti Golden Sugar Estates, in Mokwa Local Government Area of Niger State, reiterated that the sector’s potential in supporting growth of the country on a sustainable basis.

According to him, the N25 billion was facilitated through a consortium of banks at a single digit interest rate repayable in a period of 10 years.

allied productions should count on the support of the bank.
Emefiele expressed satisfaction on the level of work done by the company, saying it is in tune with the present administration’s notion that Nigerians should produce what they eat and eat what you produce.

Earlier, President Muhammadu Buhari, at the inauguration, said the sugar factory project is timely as the country makes giant strides out of recession and the economy continues to show considerable progress.

He said that one of the cardinal objectives of his administration is to look inward and focus on the country’s natural endowments, particularly the non-oil sector, for inclusive growth and developments.

Buhari noted that the level of work and magnitude of investment that is been witnessed is a clear demonstration that his administration’s policies on economic diversification are attracting the right kind of support and engagement.

The Chairman of the Flour Mills of Nigeria, owners of the Sunti Golden Sugar Estates, John Coumantaros, said the sugar factory is a strategic investment designed to accelerate the production of sugar in Nigeria.

He added that the factory, which saved the country about $100 million in foreign exchange yearly, is aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in the production of sugar for the nation.

Coumantaros, who commended the CBN and its Governor for the support in making the sugar estate a reality, said the era of Nigeria solely depending on crude oil for foreign exchange is over with the inauguration of the largest sugar factory, which is poised to overhaul the entire agriculture sector in the country.

Sunti Golden Sugar Estates comprises 17,000 hectares of arable farmland and a sugar mill that processes 45,000 tonnes of sugar per day.

At its peak, it will provide direct employment for about 10,000 people yearly and impact up to 50,000 others indirectly, including 3,000 small scale out-growers, who will be cultivating sugarcane to feed the mill.

The Estate, at full capacity, is expected to produce one million-tonne sugar, which translates into 100,000 metric tonnes of sugar yearly.