Government Releases Food Items At subsidised Prices

In line with the seven point agenda of the Nigerian President, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources has ordered the release national food reserve at a subsidised rate to cushion the high prices of food items in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr Sayyadi Abba Ruma said at the official launch of the National Food Release exercise  that the  staple food items  such as Maize , sorghum and garri (grinded cassava) should be given immediate  priority .

The commencement of the released of food items from the National Food Reserve, according to the minister, was to reduce the prices of essential food items by half in the open market so that the average Nigerian can afford them.

In his words, "this ceremony marks the flag-off of the release of the food items such as maize, sorghum, millet and garri from the reserve.

Target

A major flank of the Strategic Food Reserve Programme is the Buyer of Last Resort (BLR), the objective of which is to ameliorate the cost of production alongside marketing problems encountered by the Nigerian farmers.

According to the minister, the underlying philosophy of the BLR is to ensure that farmers are able to sell their produce at profitable prices and avoid wastage.  

Prices

The commodities are to be sold at fixed prices. Maize will be sold at 36, 000 naira per tonne and one bag of 50 kg at 1, 800 naira.  Sorghum, 34, 000,naira per tonne and 1, 700 naira for 50kg. Millet is up for 34, 000naira for one tonne and 1,700 naira for 50kg and garri 45, 000 naira   and 2, 000 naira or 2, 500 for 50kg bag.

 

NP/ Qasim/ G.O