Post by Trade facilitator on Jun 4, 2022 8:34:02 GMT 1
Bridging Nigeria's Maize Supply Shortfall - The Cause And The Solution
In 2020, Nigeria produced 10 million metric tons of maize. Data published by the USDA shows that Nigeria produced 11.6 million metric tons of maize in 2021, the highest quantity made in the last six decades.
The country's yield per hectare in 2020 was 2 tons per hectare unchanged from the previous year, compared to 11 by the USA the largest producer in the world with 384 million metric tonnes in 2021.
Nigeria is the largest producer in Africa and 13th globally.
We are aware that maize is the leading cereal grown in Nigeria and it provides millions of jobs for the people, as it can be cultivated in all the states of the Federation.
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and currently the largest maize producer, lacks the capacity to produce enough for local consumption talk more of producing for export.
The importance of maize in the country cannot be overemphasized because this commodity is used in almost every facet of the National life.
Maize is an important staple food in Africa, Nigeria, and other parts of the world. Aside from being consumed locally in roasted or boiled form, it is also consumed in other processed forms such as cornflakes, custard, pap, and more.
Maize is also the principal energy source used in poultry diets in most countries, especially in Nigeria because of its high-energy value, palatability, presence of pigments and essential fatty acids. It contains highest amount of energy (ME 3350 kcal/kg) among all cereal grains. It has 8-13% of crude protein, and also high TDN of 85-90%.
Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN): Is the sum of the digestible fiber, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate components of a feedstuff or diet. TDN is directly related to digestible energy and is often calculated based on ADF. TDN is useful for beef cow rations that are primarily forage.
Incidentally there is also a ban by the Nigerian government on the importation of maize. However informal trade exchanges between Nigeria and the Sahel region countries still exist.
This commodity is the leading cereal grown in Nigeria and it provides millions of jobs for the people, as it can be cultivated in all the states of the nation.
As we said earlier, it serves as a key input in many manufacturing companies and the poultry industry.
Records show that about 60% of Nigeria's maize is used for the production of poultry feeds; about 25% is used by the food and beverage industry, with the remaining balance being consumed by households in the country.
According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), maize is the most important food crop in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is broadly classified into two: yellow maize and white maize.
The global maize market prefers the yellow maize variety because of its use for animal feed and ethanol production, and that is why it is the most popular variety of maize.
While on the other hand, the white maize is grown predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia; these regions grow the white maize and consume it as food.
Why has it been impossible for Nigeria to grow maize enough at least for the local population?
Currently in Nigeria, the bulk of the crop is produced under the rain-fed system.
The planting season starts in mid-March through mid-June annually.
In the south it is March/April, and in the North it is May/June.
Maize matures within three to four months after planting.
From the above analysis, we can see that the gestation period of maize in the country is very short.
From the above, despite its short gestation period, there has been a critical imbalance in the demand and supply of maize in Nigeria for several years now. Available records show that the production of the crop is not growing as fast as the country's population.
In our next article on this, we are going to look at the factors that had caused Nigeria to lag behind in maize production in the world, and at the same time proffer solutions that can help Nigeria come out of the problem.
Our company is one of the best companies in Agro-Export Business in Nigeria today, we train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
In 2020, Nigeria produced 10 million metric tons of maize. Data published by the USDA shows that Nigeria produced 11.6 million metric tons of maize in 2021, the highest quantity made in the last six decades.
The country's yield per hectare in 2020 was 2 tons per hectare unchanged from the previous year, compared to 11 by the USA the largest producer in the world with 384 million metric tonnes in 2021.
Nigeria is the largest producer in Africa and 13th globally.
We are aware that maize is the leading cereal grown in Nigeria and it provides millions of jobs for the people, as it can be cultivated in all the states of the Federation.
Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa and currently the largest maize producer, lacks the capacity to produce enough for local consumption talk more of producing for export.
The importance of maize in the country cannot be overemphasized because this commodity is used in almost every facet of the National life.
Maize is an important staple food in Africa, Nigeria, and other parts of the world. Aside from being consumed locally in roasted or boiled form, it is also consumed in other processed forms such as cornflakes, custard, pap, and more.
Maize is also the principal energy source used in poultry diets in most countries, especially in Nigeria because of its high-energy value, palatability, presence of pigments and essential fatty acids. It contains highest amount of energy (ME 3350 kcal/kg) among all cereal grains. It has 8-13% of crude protein, and also high TDN of 85-90%.
Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN): Is the sum of the digestible fiber, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate components of a feedstuff or diet. TDN is directly related to digestible energy and is often calculated based on ADF. TDN is useful for beef cow rations that are primarily forage.
Incidentally there is also a ban by the Nigerian government on the importation of maize. However informal trade exchanges between Nigeria and the Sahel region countries still exist.
This commodity is the leading cereal grown in Nigeria and it provides millions of jobs for the people, as it can be cultivated in all the states of the nation.
As we said earlier, it serves as a key input in many manufacturing companies and the poultry industry.
Records show that about 60% of Nigeria's maize is used for the production of poultry feeds; about 25% is used by the food and beverage industry, with the remaining balance being consumed by households in the country.
According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), maize is the most important food crop in sub-Saharan Africa, and it is broadly classified into two: yellow maize and white maize.
The global maize market prefers the yellow maize variety because of its use for animal feed and ethanol production, and that is why it is the most popular variety of maize.
While on the other hand, the white maize is grown predominantly in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and South Asia; these regions grow the white maize and consume it as food.
Why has it been impossible for Nigeria to grow maize enough at least for the local population?
Currently in Nigeria, the bulk of the crop is produced under the rain-fed system.
The planting season starts in mid-March through mid-June annually.
In the south it is March/April, and in the North it is May/June.
Maize matures within three to four months after planting.
From the above analysis, we can see that the gestation period of maize in the country is very short.
From the above, despite its short gestation period, there has been a critical imbalance in the demand and supply of maize in Nigeria for several years now. Available records show that the production of the crop is not growing as fast as the country's population.
In our next article on this, we are going to look at the factors that had caused Nigeria to lag behind in maize production in the world, and at the same time proffer solutions that can help Nigeria come out of the problem.
Our company is one of the best companies in Agro-Export Business in Nigeria today, we train individuals and corporate organizations on how to do Export Business the right way; if you are interested, please contact the admin of this forum now for further details.
