Subsidise Cost Of Cassava Flour, Bakers Urge FG

The Federal Government has been urged by Nigerian bakers under the umbrella of the Master Bakers Association to subsidise the cost of cassava flour in Nigeria and boost adoption as flour prices remain high.

Dr Chidi Orlu, the association’s Chairman, made the appeal during a capacity-building development for master bakers on the use of high-quality cassava flour for baking bread organised by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).

According to Dr Orlu, the current cost of cassava flour in the country had discouraged bread production with the flour and posed a serious challenge to the government’s effort towards stopping wheat importation for bread making.

“Inflation is now so high. Where do we get high-quality cassava flour and if available, at what rate?

"If bakers decide to use cassava flour, the demand for cassava will be massive and that will make it difficult for some farmers to meet the demand from bakers.

“All over the world, when you start a project of this nature the desire may not be achieved at the beginning; it’s something you get in the long run.”