Nigeria’s food import increases this year – NPA

An online statement made available to Daily Trust by the General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Public Affairs department, Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu, indicates increase in the quantity of food items brought into the country through the nation’s seaports between January and June this year.  The report captioned ‘half year 2013 commodity analysis of […]

An online statement made available to Daily Trust by the General Manager of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) Public Affairs department, Captain Iheanacho Ebubeogu, indicates increase in the quantity of food items brought into the country through the nation’s seaports between January and June this year.  
The report captioned ‘half year 2013 commodity analysis of cargo handled at the Nigerian Ports Authority (excluding crude oil terminal) export cargo,’ stated that wheat Grain/Offal recorded the highest import in the category of dry bulk cargo with a total of 1,913,511 metric tons in the half year report performance review.
“During the period under review Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) exports recorded the highest commodity export with a tonnage of 8,462,535 metric tons. A total of 1,028,843 metric tons of refined petroleum product was exported through the ports while condensate export amounted to 151,146 metric tons. In this category (General Cargo) containerized cargo came tops in the first half of 2013 with a tonnage of 752,275 metric tons while agricultural products handled at the ports amounted to 394,238 metric tons.
“On imports, the tonnage of containerized cargo stood at 5,470,379 metric tons. The total tonnage of construction materials imported into the country amounted to 262,565 metric tons while agricultural products were 154,917 metric tons in the first half of 2013. Cement import (through dry bulk cargo) stood at 821,982 metric tons, fertilizer recorded 492,538 metric tons, and sugar import amounted to 715,255 metric tons while bitumen and rice imports contributed 18,827 metric tons and 90,159 metric tons respectively,” the statement read in part.
The statement indicate that under the liquid bulk cargo of the ports in Nigeria, refined petroleum product import handled at the ports was 8,790,980 metric tons while Bitumen witnessed a total import figure of 135,935 metric tons in the period under review.
Agricultural minister Dr Akinwunmi Adesina who vowed not to be ‘a minister of food importation’, could not be reached for comment. Despite a written request for interview sent to his office followed by two visits, officials in the office of the minister said he had traveled out of the country on state engagements.