Miller Magazine Issue: 140 August 2021

80 Country Profile MILLER / august 2021 Ministry of Agriculture to expand wheat production. Fur- thermore, the Flour Milling Association of Nigeria (FMAN) and WFAN continue to express their solidarity with the government’s backward integration project. The government’s policy on composite flour (i.e., the substitution of cassava flour for wheat flour for use in bread making and other flour-based products) remains in place. The policy offers a 12-percent tax rebate to bakers willing to blend cassava flour with wheat flour for bread making. Full enforcement of the composite flour policy is unlikely until flour millers, bakers, and other stakeholders overcome technical challenges in developing an appro- priate mix of wheat and cassava flours. CORN PRODUCTION Corn accounts for the majority share of Nigeria’s coarse grain production. It constitutes the staple meal for a significant number of Nigerians and is the most critical ingredient in the production of animal and aquaculture feed. Nigeria’s corn consumption occurs in the form of corn flour, confectionery, roasted corn, boiled, or pre- pared as porridge. USDA forecasts Nigeria’s MY2021/22 corn production at 11.1 MMT. The corn belt spanning from Nasarawa, Kadu- na, and Katsina States is under persistent localized con- flict. Currently, farming communities are under intense fear. Many Farmers are not going to farm because of fear of kidnapping for ransom. MY2021/22 area harvested is forecast at 6 million hectares. Consumption is projected at roughly 12.1 MMT. Household corn consumption accounts for 10-15 per- cent of total consumption, while the remainder goes to- wards food manufacturing. Over 40 percent of Nigeria’s corn production goes into animal feed, especially poultry feed. Nigeria’s expanding poultry sector is expected to boost corn production and consumption. USDA forecasts MY2021/22 corn imports at 1 MMT, an estimated 100 percent increase compared to 500,000 metric tons recorded last marketing year. Supply shortfalls due to growing insecurity across all farming regions, cur- rency devaluations, and climatic changes are expected to compel the Nigerian government to approve corn im- ports during the marketing year. The poultry industry had indicated it would need to import about 1.5 million MMT of corn to satisfy domestic feed demand during the year (MY2021/22). However, the lack of storage capacity and the suspension of importers from accessing foreign ex- change at CBN rate would likely limit the import volume.