In line with the Agricultural Transformation Agenda
of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration the nation’s agricultural
sector received a boost from the Flour Mills of Nigeria Plc, as the company
began investing in large-scale commercial farming of different crops across the
country.
The Group Managing Director, Flour Mills Mr Paul
Gbededo made the disclosure at the company’s 53rd annual general meeting, and
said that as the country is diversifying away from oil, agriculture is now seen
as the next frontier to grow the nation’s economy.
NaijaAgroNet
gathered that the company in keeping with its focus on vertical integration of
agro –allied business has invested in the cultivation of 2,000 hectares of
maize, 1,000 hectares of soybean, 1,000 hectares of cassava and 50 hectares of
sorghum in its 10,000 hectares Kaboji Farm near Kontagora, Niger State.
Gbededo said that the company’s achievement during
the financial year ended March 31, 2013, includes the acquisitions of Thai Farm
International Company Ltd, a leading cassava flour processing company, and ROM
Oil Mills, an integrated edible oil processing company.
According to him, Thai Farm in Ososa, Ogun State
has proven to be one of the two leading suppliers of high quality cassava flour
(HQCF) to flour millers in Nigeria under the cassava flour inclusion initiative
of the Federal Government.
He explained that the company with its focus on
joint venture possibilities, acquisitions, mergers and take-over is planning
to engage reputable partners to grow and
consolidate on its agro-allied business in line with Federal Government‘s
agricultural and industrial transformation agenda.
“We are growing our food business. We are also
expanding into the agro-allied space and we think we will be able to add more
value to the country. We are still restructuring. We are consolidating. We are
looking for areas to create and add value, not only to our stakeholders, but
also the Nigerian populace,” he said.
The Company Secretary and Director, Olalekan Saliu,
said the company effort is in the direction of food security in the country by
growing soya beans, cassava, sorghum and sugar cane on the 17,000 hectares of
land in Sunti, Niger State.
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