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Stakeholders in the Agriculture sector have called on the Federal Government to ban importation of maize into the country to protect local farmers and encourage investment in that area. The National Coordinator of Nigerian Farmers Group and Cooperative Society, Redson Tedheke who made the call in a chat with Punch argued that unchecked importation of maize remained a major threat to local production and President Muhammadu Buhari’s agricultural revolution drive.


According to him, agro-businesses in the country prefer to import the product and sell in the country at the expense of locally produced maize which are more qualitative but expensive.


“The Federal Government must set an immediate time scale to ensure that maize is not imported within months, like it’s done with rice. You cannot tell people to go to farm and then allow massive importation of the same thing they are conveniently producing. We feel that is insincerity of purpose, and we are telling government that if you allow continuous importation of maize, you are actually working against those you urge to go to the farm,” he added.


He warned that if the Federal Government failed to act, local production of maize would end in less than three years. “If the Federal Government does not act fast, the localization of maize production will be lost to importers who may kill local producers, jobs and the economy."

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