Nigeria could save N127 billion annually from importation of wheat if 20 percent inclusion of cassava flour in bread production is implemented, especially in view of the Federal Government’s drive to diversify the country’s revenue base and reduce dependence on importation.
Borno State chairman of Master Bakers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dominic Daniel, who disclosed this, Sunday, in Maiduguri, the state capital, said that much can be achieved if the Federal Government can look into the value chain of growing and processing cassava, to ensure good quality of bread production.
Daniel said that the country ought to have been less dependent on wheat if the cassava bread initiative had been carefully implemented, adding that the 20 per cent inclusion of cassava in bread production was becoming difficult to bakers, due to a lot of constraints.
According to him, the inability to access the N2.2 billion Bank of Industry loan by its members, lack of equipment for production of bread and proper training are some of the major constraints facing bakers in Borno state.
He lamented that the program which could have yielded a positive result only targeted less than two percent among the 450, 000 members of the association.
“The initiative when utilized could provide huge benefits to the Nigeria’s economy. 50 percent of wheat importation would be cut and millions of people would engage in cassava production.
“Surprisingly, there is no mention of cassava bread on the 2016 budget the initiative had stalled since the new government came into power. The price of wheat will continue rise up which will affect the price of bread in many part of the country, if proper time is not taken to addressed this issue, food will be out of reach of the common man,” he added.
“Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world which means we have advantage over other countries. Why can’t we use what we have? Government should empower our members with it approved “Bake sure” enhancer which produces high quality bread that would gain acceptability anywhere in the world”, he added.
