info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
info.afrindex.com
China-Africa Trade Information Service
Image from RDO Equipment Co.
According to data obtained from the export website, Nigeria imported USD 60 million worth of agricultural machinery between January and November 2018, which was USD 10 million higher than the same period in 2017.
The report indicated that $12m worth of the machinery was imported from the US, adding that $20m worth of the agricultural machinery was manufactured locally during the period.
Nigeria's agricultural sector is dominated by smallholder farmers who work on an average of four to five acres each, under rain-fed conditions. Most of them lack knowledge of modern practices, have insufficient capital and own little or no equipment of their own. As a result, much of the farm machinery, seeds and chemicals they require are purchased and distributed to them by the government.
According to the report, there are about 10 relatively large commercial scale farms in Nigeria, deploying some form of mechanised processes, adding that these and a few construction companies can purchase tractors for agricultural and non-agricultural purposes.
Nigeria, according to reports, invests over $11bn on food imports annually. Nigeria with such a large population had growing food needs and large scale mechanised farming was needed to solve the hunger challenge and reduce food imports in the country.
