The National Sugar Development Council, NSDC, has cut the 2018 sugar projection for the country to 1.58 million metric tons from the 1.6 million metric tons initially projected in the Sugar Master Plan.
The Executive Secretary of the NSDC, Dr. Latif Busari, disclosed this in Abuja by the while reviewing the activities of the council in 2017 and making projections for 2018.
Dr. Busari also revealed that the council with relevant monitoring groups have concluded the review of the Backward Integration Programme implementation by participants and a new sugar import quota for participants will be released in January based on the approval of the President.
He revealed that in Numan, three sugar fields have been burnt down as a result of clashes in that area, a situation that may force a downward review of the projected local sugar production in the year.
Speaking on the sugar levy fund, he said the N10 billion management agreement signed by the council with the Bank of Industry (BOI) currently has N5.9 billion while the N5 billion Fund being managed by the Bank of Agriculture now has N3.5 billion.
