The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Muhammad Sabo Nanono, has said the federal government plans to ban the importation of milk within the next two years.
He also said the country has become Africa’s largest producer of rice and the largest producer of cassava in the world, pointing out that a range of policies and initiatives had been put in place to strengthen the rice and cassava value chains going forward.
Speaking at a press briefing to commemorate the 2020 World Food Day celebration, the minister said the livestock industry had an asset base of nearly N33 trillion that must not be allowed to waste.
Mr. Nanono added that fish importation will also be considered for an outright ban.
The minister expressed concerns about the increasing prices of food commodities in the country, he said: “In the next two, three months, most of the prices will level off to a more comfortable level adding that the price of Milled rice is expected to reduce to between N14,000 and N15,000″.
