West African cashews draw Vietnamese buyer to challenge olam

April 10, 2019

A Vietnamese conglomerate is entering the cashew market with possible deals in West Africa for more than a 10th of global output, a bold start to take on the $7 billion industry’s dominant buyers such as Olam International Ltd. In a fractured sector with dozens of producers, the purchase of such a large amount of […]

Over 70% of rice in Nigerian markets are foreign – Report

April 3, 2019

Despite concrete and visible interventions of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) via the Anchors Borrowers Programme (ABP) on the rice sub-sector of the Nigerian economy, over 70 per cent of rice in Nigeria markets are foreign or imported. In a three-week survey on the rice market across the six geopolitical zones in the country, […]

Osun’s legacy in agricultural land reforms

Olukayode OyeleyeMarch 25, 2019

The task of feeding the teeming Nigerian population is overwhelming, requiring enormous efforts, great depth of thought, robust strategies and proactive actions. Recognition of the neglect of agriculture as a result of discovery of petroleum is not enough. Nigeria, as a nation must face up to the fact that people need to be fed and […]

Early rains boost prospects for Nigeria’s rice crop, farmers say

March 20, 2019

Early rains in Nigeria’s rice-growing regions have boosted prospects for a good harvest, according to the farmers association, increasing the likelihood of lower imports by one of the world’s top buyers of the grain. “We have experienced early rains in the central states and in the northeast,” Aminu Goronyo, president of the Rice Farmers Association […]

Why U.S. growers are betting the farm on soybeans amid China trade war

March 14, 2019

U.S. farmers are gearing up to plant what could be their third-largest soybean crop ever despite failing to sell a mountain of beans from their last harvest due to a U.S.-China trade war that remains unresolved. Soybeans were the single most valuable U.S. agricultural export crop and until the trade war, China bought $12 billion-worth […]

Nigerian miners advocate domestic processing of minerals to drive improved GDP contribution

February 27, 2019

By Adesola Afolabi and Afolabi Oluwaseun   Shehu Sanni, president, Miners Association of Nigeria has advised domestic investors interested in the Nigerian mining sector, to invest in domesticated mineral processing while also calling for the sensitization of investment towards mineral processing. At a one-day sensitization forum hosted by NACCIMA, themed, “Potential of the Nigerian Mining […]

World’s top cocoa grower is said to shift to direct sales from auctions

February 12, 2019

Ivory Coast is moving away from a cocoa-auction system in favor of direct sales to traders, bringing the marketing process in the world’s top producer closer to that of neighboring Ghana, people familiar with the matter said. The West African country is selling beans directly to some of the world’s top traders instead of favoring […]

Nigeria’s agric mechanisation can grow on simple equipment

Temitayo AyetotoSeptember 10, 2018

Agric mechanisation

Zhengzhou Taizy Trading Co. Ltd, is an enterprise integrating research with the development of specialised agricultural equipment such as seeder, trans-planter thresher, cultivator, miller and harvester, among others. It is one the potential firms lured by Nigeria’s efforts at attracting foreign investment in agriculture and was at the China Homelife Fair Nigeria in Lagos to […]

Smart economic policies matter for African green revolution

Temitayo AyetotoSeptember 10, 2018

Revolution

Great ideas about driving an unprecedented revolution in Africa’s agricultural landscape, especially with regards to infrastructure, increased financing, or feritilizer provision may not materialise except smart economic policies are installed and implemented to support agriculture. In fact, if deliberate government efforts are not channelled towards ensuring that local demand is heavily reliant on local capacity, […]