‘Nigeria Can Save N1.2trl from Ethanol, Other Imports’
(The Nation) Cassava has the capacity to generate N10 trillion and save Nigeria over N1.2 trillion from import of derivatives such as ethanol, starch and sweetener, Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCGA) said on Monday.
Its President, Mr Segun Adewunmi, who spoke in Abuja, lamented that the huge potential in cassava value chain had not been well explored. He said in spite of being adjudged the highest producer of cassava in the world, Nigeria was not reaping enough from the commodity.
“If the potential in cassava are harnessed, it can give us more money than oil. It is unfortunate that the derivatives that we can use from cassava are being imported into the country.
“Nigeria uses about 400 million litres of ethanol sold at N400 per litre. That means in a year, we import ethanol worth N160 billion.
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“Now, we are supposed to have 10 per cent ethanol in our fuel and this will save N183 billion for us. So, in all, the import that we can use cassava to get is over N1.2 trillion.
“Apart from that, if five million hectares out of the 84 million hectares, are put into industrial cassava production, we will be earning over N10 trillion from cassava derivatives annually.”
According to him, the derivatives have limitless domestic and export market potential, adding that most of the derivatives can be used as raw materials with limitless market potential.
He said cassava had the potential to transform Nigeria into industrial hub while triggering industrial revolution.
While commending the Federal Government for its effort to reposition agriculture as part of the drive to diversify the country’s economy from oil, Adewunmi said more needed to be done to fully tap into the opportunities in cassava production.
He called for enabling environment to reduce the cost of production as well as provision of infrastructure to aid farmers and other stakeholders in the value chain.
“Nigeria’s cassava is the most expensive in the world because we are still practicing crude method of farming. I can mention states in this country that do not have one serviceable tractor.
“If the population of a state is two million for instance, and there is no functioning tractor that can be hired, how would there be improved yield. READ MORE
