The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina has declared that the cassava bread is capable of saving Nigeria $800 million if the level of wheat importation is reduced to the minimal.

CEOAFRICA has gathered this from the statement of Dr. Adesina on Monday, in Abuja during the inauguration of the chairmen and board members for agencies and parastatals under the ministry.

He pointed out that several of the major Nigerian bakers had already shifted to the inclusion of 20 percent high quality cassava flour in producing bread.

He further stated that the government was supporting the private sector to access cheap financing to import and establish 18 large-scale cassava-processing plants to accelerate cassava bread production.

Dr  Adesina also noted that Nigeria currently had a well-packaged, long grain parboiled local rice in the market, adding that the local rice was better that the “15-year-old imported rice dumped in the Nigerian market”.

He also revealed that the private sector had established 14 large-scale integrated rice mills producing quality long grain parboiled rice.

The minister however called on the newly-inaugurated members of the board to put in their best to continue in the quest of the government to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production by 2015.