Giant brewer, Nigerian Breweries Plc has announced plan to increase sourcing of raw materials like sorghum, Food Grade Starch and others locally from 57 per cent to 60 per cent by 2020.
NB Corporate Communications and Brand Public Relations Manager, Patrick Olowookere made this known to newsmen during a facility tour in Ado Awaiye in Iseyin area of Oyo State mid last week.
He said the company was always looking at ways to partner with local farmers and processors to develop agricultural value chains that would strengthen the economy and save foreign exchange.
According to him, through these partnerships, many farmers have been impacted, especially through its out-grower schemes in sorghum production.
“Over 250,000 sorghum farmers have benefited in the northern agronomical zones as at 2013, producing over the 100,000 tons the company needs annually,”Olowookere said.
“That is enough to meet our production for our growing customers. We want to try as much as we can to further reduced the volume of imported of raw materials.
“By 2020, Nigerian Breweries would have finalised plans to increase its sourcing of raw materials from 57 to 60 per cent, the margin is small but apt.
“Psaltry International Company Ltd) a Food Grade Starch producing firm and others in sorghum is what gives us the assurance of quality products to suit the needs of our consumers.”
Olowookere said that the firm uses CSRO 1 and 2 species of sorghum because it had a higher yield of two tons per hectare and had certifications from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Olowookere also said that Psaltry Company was the only partner producing Food Grade Starch for Nigerian Breweries, NAN reports.
