Nigeria is expected to pay $ 593 for wheat imports in 2018. The country’s consumption for wheat remains high with demand expected to surpass 4.6 million tons next year. 

There are indications that Nigeria is on the verge of losing about $593.6 million of her wheat production to post-harvest losses, lack of quality seeds and other inputs, as well as non-availability of farming implements, reported Nigerian Daily New Telegraph. Particularly, it has emerged from the Wheat Farmers Association of Nigeria (WFAN) that these factors are hindering Nigeria’s quest to achieve the set target of 1.5 million tons wheat production earmarked for 2018 as many of its members are now being forced to abandon their farms. Commenting on the issue to New Telegraph, a member of WFAN said lack of improved seeds has forced farmers in Gombe State to abandon their initial plans of cultivating 10,000 hectares of wheat farms. Statistics show that the total amount of wheat consumed in Nigeria is put around 4.5 million tons per annum and the local production is only about 120,000 tons per annum, leaving a huge gap to be covered by importation. In addition, the country’s consumption for wheat remains high with demand expected to surpass 4.6 million tons next year as consumers’ demand for wheat-based foods continue to climb in response to changing tastes as in domestic supplies of other substitute staple products within Nigeria and neighboring countries is not increasing to match population growth.