FEDERAL Government, at the weekend, restated its stance on the ban and prohibition of importation of cassava flour as from March 31, 2012.The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, announced this in Abuja, at a meeting with the representatives of the four largest bakeries in the country.Adesina said the decision to stop the importation of cassava flour would save the nation the whooping sum of N250 billion spent on the importation of wheat flour yearly as well as boost the local production and commercialisation of high quality cassava flour.'We will save Nigeria N250 billion used for wheat imports, currently going to farmers of other countries, putting these into the hands of Nigerian farmers,' he assured.He reiterated the resolve of the Federal Government to enforce the 40percent cassava bread which is from blending 40 per cent high quality cassava flour with 60 per cent wheat flour.He also pointed out that the Federal Government has raised the tariff on imported wheat to encourage the substitution of wheat flour with high quality cassava flour.According to him, 'all equipment and machinery for processing high quality cassava flour and composite flours will attract zero taxes.'All flour mills, producers of high quality cassava flour who will attain the 40 per cent substitution with high quality cassava flour will receive a 12 per cent tax rebate.'With effect from March 31, 2012, the importation of cassava flour will be prohibited. All bakers will have within 18 months to move towards 40 per cent substitution of high quality cassava flour.'To actualise the 40 percent high quality cassava flour blending for bread, Adesina said his ministry was working together with the bakery industry to provide appropriate incentives for them to make necessary investment to modify their process and supply chains.In addition, he noted that his ministry was working with the private sector to establish 12 high quality cassava processing plants in 2012 with an installed capacity of 240 tonnes per day.He further said the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) and National Root Crop Research Institute (NCRI) would rapidly multiply and distribute cassava cuttings for millions of Nigerian farmers aimed at raising the yield of cassava from the present level of 12 metric tonnes per hectare to 25 metric tons per hectare through improved agronomy practices.Responding, all the representatives of the leading bakeries such as Butterfields, UTC, Leventis and the Wilson Foods and Confectionaries, pledged their support and cooperation to the new Federal Government's initiatives.They, however, called on the government to provide infrastructure and enabling environment to enable them to carry out their businesses.
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