Anna Okon
About five vessels bearing maize, ethanol and wheat estimated at
over $ 37 . 9 m have arrived at the Lagos and Tin Can Island ports.
According to information obtained from the Nigerian Ports
Authority’ s daily Shipping Position , a vessel , Cape Daly, arrived at
the ABTL terminal on September 1 carrying 10 , 150 metric tonnes of
ethanol worth $ 421, 935. 5 at the current market value of $ 41 . 57 per
metric tonne .
On the same day, a vessel , Eike Oldendorff , arrived at the
JosephDam terminal at the Tin Can Island port bearing 36 , 850MT of
wheat valued at $ 5. 7 m
Another vessel , Diamond Harbour, arrived the country through the
ENL terminal on September 5 with 25 , 750MT of maize worth $ 3 . 7 m
at the current market value of $ 144. 29 / MT .
Also berthing at the ENL on September 7 is a vessel named Zola
carrying 42 , 900MT of maize valued at $6 . 1 m .
Another vessel , Sealady , also arrived at JosephDam terminal on
September 7 with 21 , 000MT of wheat valued at $ 3 . 2m , and with
13 , 000MT wheat valued at $ 2003 , 820.
In addition to these , a vessel , identified as Nord Express , had arrived
at the GDNL terminal on August 31 bearing 46 , 050MT of wheat
valued at $ 7 . 09 m at the market value of $ 154. 14 /MT .
Earlier in the second week of August , the JosephDam terminal took
delivery of 33 , 000MT of wheat valued at $ 5 . 08 m and 15 , 952MT
valued at $ 2 . 4 m .
Poultry farmers have blamed scarcity of the products in the local
market for the increase in maize importation .
One of them who is the Group Head, Policy and Strategy , Amo Farm
Sieberer Hatchery Limited , Mr . Toromade Francis , told our
correspondent that local farmers preferred to export grains and earn
dollars than sell to local buyers.
He said this had pushed poultry farmers into importation of grains
such as soya beans and maize used in poultry feed mill production .
Farmers under the aegis of the Nigerian Farmers Group and
Cooperative Society have , therefore , urged the Federal Government
to place a ban on maize importation .
The group’ s National Coordinator , Redson Tedheke , said that the
suspension of the importation would protect local farmers and
encourage massive production of the commodity.
According to him, unchecked importation of maize remained a major
threat to local production and President Muhammadu Buhari ’ s
agricultural revolution drive .
He said local farmers must be protected to invest more , so that
Nigeria would become self - sufficient in maize production .
Tedheke noted that some agro- business firms operating in Nigeria
were importing large quantities of maize at relatively low landing
cost .
He added that the maize, which they eventually would sell for less
thanN 100, 000 per metric tonne was crowding out local product sold
for between N 130, 000 and N 250, 000 per metric tonne .
He said , “ The Federal Government must set an immediate time scale
to ensure that maize is not imported within months, like it ’ s done
with rice .
“ You cannot tell people to go to farm and then allow massive
importation of the same thing they are conveniently producing .
“ We feel that is insincerity of purpose , and we are telling
government that if you allow continuous importation of maize, you
are actually working against those you urge to go to the farm . ”
According to Tedheke , the group has 2 , 000 hectares of maize farm
across the nation and is still cultivating more .
Although maize is not currently on Nigeria ’ s import prohibition list ,
Tedheke maintained that there was a need to check excessive
importation to protect local producers in their quest to grow the
economy.
“ If the Federal Government does not act fast , the localisation of
maize production will be lost to importers who may kill local
producers , jobs and the economy, ” he said .
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