Cassava Bread Can Generate N24bn Annual Revenue – FIIRO

Nigeria can earn an annual internal revenue of N24 billion from the inclusion of high quality cassava flour in wheat for confectionery purposes, the Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), has said. The Director General (DG) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Institute Mrs. Gloria Elemo said in Lagos, that the N24 billion revenue projection was based on about 300,000 metric tonnes per annum demand estimate by the Flour Millers and what it would save the nation in terms of foreign exchange used in wheat importation.
Elemo who spoke while giving an insight on research FIIRO has conducted on cassava and the outcome of which is in line with the aspiration of the government, added that the institute has comfortably developed various products from cassava which include high quality Cassava Flour (HQCF), Industrial Starch (including normal, detoxified and modified), Fufu flour, Cassava Chips and Pellets.
Other products developed also include cassava-based adhesives and Cold water starch, Cassava noodles, Tapioca, mechanised garri, Soy-garri, Glucose syrup and Ethanol.
The high point and uniqueness of the research is the development of a 10 Tons per day mechanised Garri plant designed at FIIRO and licenced to Newell Dunford, UK for the purpose of commercializing its production for sale in Brazil, Ghana, Sierra-Leone and royalties paid to the federal government.
She maintained that FIIRO has taken bold steps to quicken the pace of industrialisation in Nigeria through Research and Development,  as well as pilot plant production trials for industrial applications in the areas of food and agro-allied products, and in various non-food areas.
The Institute current focus on agriculture development is the huge support toward government wheat flour inclusive policy for the purpose of bread baking to deflect the economic consequence of huge foreign exchange used in the importation of wheat flour.
This support is coming as government inches toward reaching a definitive agreement on fresh policy to improve local cassava production and consumption.
The degenerative economic consequence of wheat import is estimated about N635Billion annually, a whopping sum of money FIIRO said could be saved if the new policy was implemented.
The Institute asserts that it posseses definite ideas to develop high quality products from cassava in response to industrial needs for economic benefits.