The Head of the Sugar Research Institute, University
of Ilorin, Prof Gbadebo Olaoye has said that
with the ongoing efforts to
improve domestic sugarcane production of 65,000 tonnes with new high yields
varieties, the targeted production
of 1.7 million tonnes by 2018 will be
achieved.
Olaoye made this disclosure to pressmen, while
explaining that the United Nation’s Common Fund for Commodities had given $1.6
million (about N246 million) for a research in Ivory Coast and Nigeria to test
various species of sugarcane in order to
boost production.
The Sugar
Research Institute, Olaoye informed NaijaAgroNet was reviewing the characteristics of
potential sugarcane varieties, with the aim of increasing output and
profitability for the industry that has recorded consumption of an estimated
1.45 million tonnes of sugar by Nigerians.
In the United States-based Global Agriculture
Information Network (GAIN)
report entitled ‘Nigeria: Annual Sugar Report 2013,’ GAIN stated that Nigeria’s objectives required a
22-fold increase in domestic cane sugar production, long-term massive area
expansion and enormous funding in sugar cane production research, as well as
long-term investment in public infrastructure and human and material resources.
The Executive Secretary of the National Sugar
Development Council, Dr. Latif Busari said the nation’s sugar production level
would hit about 1.79 million tonnes by 2020, higher than the 1.5 million tonnes
consumed annually, produce about 161 million litres of ethanol and also
generate over 117,000 jobs for the economy.
International Sugar Organisation currently puts
Nigeria’s total sugar production at 30,000 tonnes, however, Busari said the
implementation of the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan would require massive private
sector investments of more than $3.1 billion, (about N496 billion) over the
next 10 years, which will involve the 28 sugar projects sited across 17 states.
AN/GEE
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