THE cassava production initiative of the Federal Government has started to yield the expected dividend as farmers may have earned $136 million (about N2 billion) from the produce exported to china in the last few months.
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina said in Abuja yesterday that the country has so far exported 1.1million metric tone of Cassava chips to China adding that farmers have earned close to $136million from the export of the product to China.
The Minister said it was sad that Nigeria was spending a whooping N5.6billion annually on importation of Wheat flour, when farmers could earn N254billion annually from the substitution of high quality cassava flour for Wheat flour in bread production.
He lamented the waste of over 40million mt tonne of Cassava produced in the country. He stressed the need to add value to cassava produced in the country, as against the conventional Gaari, Fufu, and starch being produced.
According to the Minister, Nigeria was partnering research institutions in order to create best seed varieties for farmers and to accelerate the Cassava production in the country.
He further unfolded plans by the government to distribute free 1, 293,000 bundles of improved cassava cuttings in the next few weeks to 
cassava growers in 28 states of the federation.
“In Ogun State alone, 200,000 bundles of improved variety of cassava will be given to farmers: cassava farmers in Borno state are to receive 90 trailer-load of improved variety of cassava cuttings for planting on 150 hectares”.
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