PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN HAS ASSERTED THAT HIS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO REDUCE FOOD IMPORTATION BILL TO THE BAREST MINIMUM, FROM N1.1 TRILLION ($6.9 BILLION) IN 2009 TO N684.7 BILLION ($4.35 BILLION) IN 2013.
THE REDUCTION, WHICH IS N415.3 BILLION OR 37.75 PER CENT IN FOUR YEARS, WAS PART OF EFFORTS AT MAKING NIGERIA SELF-SUFFICIENT IN FOOD PRODUCTION.
JONATHAN, WHO DISCLOSED THIS AT THE COMMISSIONING OF OLAM NIGERIA’S 105,000 METRIC TONNES INTEGRATED RICE PROCESSING MILL IN NASARAWA STATE, NOTED THAT NIGERIA’S RICE PRODUCTION PROGRAMME HAS CONTINUED TO RECEIVE MUCH FOCUSSED ATTENTION.
HE POINTED OUT THAT NIGERIA’S NATIONAL PADDY RICE PRODUCTION HAS GROWN BY ADDITIONAL 7 MILLION METRIC TONNES WITHIN THREE YEARS.
THE PRESIDENT NOTED THAT THOUGH NIGERIA IS THE LARGEST ECONOMY IN AFRICA, IN TERMS OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP), HE REGRETTED THAT IS NOT ENOUGH ON ITS OWN.
HE BELIEVES WITH NIGERIA’S NUMEROUS VAST LAND, WATER AND LABOUR RESOURCES, NIGERIA HAS NO BUSINESS BEING A NET FOOD IMPORTING COUNTRY.
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