Government plans buy-back from farmers to boost food security

• ‘700 trailer loads of grains leave Nigeria daily’

The Federal Government has disclosed plans to commence buy-back from farmers at a guaranteed minimum price, to check rising prices of food items in the market.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, who disclosed this to journalists in Abuja said that on a daily basis, 700 trailer loads of grains left Nigerian markets for Mali, Mauritania, Niger Republic, Chad, and the Central Africa Republic.

Ogbeh explained that with the devaluation of the naira, it was cheaper to buy from the Nigerian markets and sell in other neighbouring countries.

To prevent hunger, the government has started buying and storing grains in silos with a plan to release them by February when farmers may have exhausted their stock.

“We are buying a lot of grains now because there is a surplus harvest in many states, including Kebbi, Niger Zamfara and Anambra. We also guarantee a minimum price that will be announced shortly, because up to 700 trucks daily are leaving Nigeria with grains heading for Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad and the Central Africa Republic. Everyday, everything goes there.