A total of N738 billion worth of agricultural products were imported into the country in the first quarter of 2015, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) in its latest foreign trade reports. Agricultural imports increased by N132.1 billion or 21.8 percent from N606 billion in Q1 2014 to N738 billion in Q1 2015, the data show.

One question on the lips of many followers of the African Development Bank (AfDB) before its just concluded 50th Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire last week was who will come top in the development bank’s Presidential elections. The question became imperative because of the gripping nature of the race and the lobbying that followed the high level power play against the credentials of the eight candidates that vied for the position.

Olam management has re-instated its commitments to helping Nigeria advance its journey to self sufficiency in rice production by bridging the gap in local production and importation. This is coming on the heels of the company call for caution in the handling of excessive import duties and levies on rice as it might lead to smuggling of cheaper rice from neighbouring countries which will be counter productive to the protection of domestic rice producers and local rice investors.

Fertilizer suppliers who participated under the Federal ministry of Agriculture’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) are appealing to the government to redeem the N52 billion (Fifty Two Billion Naira) being the subsidy portion they are being owed by both the Federal and State Governments. The Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) is a Federal government initiative to actualise the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). It is also aimed at subsidising the costs of major agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser and seedlings for farmers.

Fertilizer suppliers who participated under the Federal ministry of Agriculture’s Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) are appealing to the government to redeem the N52 billion (Fifty Two Billion Naira) being the subsidy portion they are being owed by both the Federal and State Governments. The Growth Enhancement Support Scheme (GESS) is a Federal government initiative to actualise the Agricultural Transformation Agenda (ATA). It is also aimed at subsidising the costs of major agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser and seedlings for farmers.