FG imports staple foods to tackle shortages

The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, has said the Federal Government has procured some imported staple foods such as maize and wheat to tackle food shortages in Nigeria.

The minister made this known on Thursday in Abuja at an Inter-Ministerial press briefing as part of the activities to mark Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

He said the procured food items would soon arrive in Nigeria, emphasising that the importation measure was an interim measure to avoid affecting local food production.

Edun said, “In the meantime, there is a short-term measure to import food. The government has already ordered procured maize and wheat which are on its way.

“It is critical that we do not disrupt domestic production of food, we do not disrupt farming in Nigeria by flooding the market with imports that now put prices where farmers are now discouraged from engaging in production and millers are discouraged from engaging in food processing.

“As a result, the conversations are on to see what quantity we can bring in without disrupting the agricultural sector.

“In the short term, yes, we are intervening through some imports and wet season procurement and delivery of the right import but in the long term, we must identify and put in place strategies to increase agriculture productivity.”