Association targets 300m metric tons of cassava annually
Cassava
By Zubairu Idris/Shehu Danjuma
Katsina, May 22, 2018(NAN) The Cassava Producers Association of Nigeria said it was collaborating with the Federal Government to jerk up the country’s cassava production to 300 million metric tons annually.
The association’s National President, Pastor Segun Adewumi disclosed this on Tuesday in Katsina while briefing newsmen.
He said the current cassava production capacity was only 42 million metric tons, adding that it was not good enough.
The president said the association was taking advantage of the N10 billion reserved by the CBN to boost cassava production under its anchor borrower programme.
“Cassava production will assist Nigeria to get twice what it gets from the oil sector.
“More than 20 items can be produced out of cassava, which included ethanol, industrial starch, liquid syrup used by pharmaceutical companies, flour and sweetener among others.
“Cassava has a value chain, which can also assist to generate employments to youths, provide raw materials for industrial use and enhance foreign exchange earnings’’, he said.
The chairman therefore, urged members of the association in the northern part of the country to embrace cassava farming for its profitable value chain.
Adewumi said the land in the north was flat, loose and also fertile for the production all produce including cassava.
In his remarks, Alhaji Abubakar Yusuf, Commissioner for Commerce, Industries and Tourism said the state was on the verge of establishing three cassava processing industries to boost its production.
He said the industries would be sited in the three senatorial zones of Katsina, Daura and Funtua to give equal opportunity to the people.
Yusuf said 100,000 entrepreneurs would be trained and enlisted under the state cassava production programme.
The commissioner also said the programme would assist to generate about 200,000 jobs in the state.
He therefore advised all cassava farmers in the state to register with the association in order to benefit from the programme.(NAN)
ZI/SUD/OMO/MZA
Edited by Martins Odeh/Maharazu Ahmed
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