FG moves to stabilize food prices

 

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has met with members of the Presidential Task Force on rice and wheat over need to stabilize the prices of the commodity.
 Briefing newsmen after the meeting, Kebbi state governor, Abubakar Bagudu, said the federal government was interested in supporting rice and  wheat farmers to ensure food sufficiency and productions
Bagudu said “This is the meeting of Presidential Task Force on Rice and wheat and we reviewed the wheat programme and what we can do more to support states in order to increase production of wheat.

“And to ensure that our farmers who have responded to the call are supported in terms of getting good price for their output in order to sustain their interests.
We reviewed where we are with rice production. The Acting President noted with satisfaction all the efforts be directed at stakeholders to attain sufficiency in the shortest possible time.”
“The Acting President assured the meeting that the Federal Government will continue to support the drive towards self sufficiency in food security. He said the government of necessity will support the farmers, the millers and other stakeholders involved in the value change‎,” he continued.

Asked to confirm the claim that Nigeria is second largest producer of rice in the world, the Kebbi governor said “I don’t have that data but I know that our farmers have responded and all parts of Nigeria, about 32 states have steak of increased production.”

On how far the nation had gone in wheat production, Bagudu said “I think we have done very well. We have remarkable increase in the number of states that have produced wheat from the last season.

Last season we had about five states but today we are hearing reports from about 11 states‎ and the increase in output per state is quiet significant as well. So we believe that with sustained trajectory that we are seeing we will be able to achieve our self sufficiency.”

Others at the meeting include the governors of Ebonyi, Dave Umahi; Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje and Jigawa’s Badaru Abubakar.

Others at the meeting were the Ministers of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and Finance, Kemi Adeosun.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, was also at the meeting.