The Minister of Agriculture, Senator Abubakar Kyari, said the government of Saudi Arabia has expressed interest in setting up manufacturing factories in Nigeria for farming equipment.
Kyari made this disclosure in a statement on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday following a meeting with stakeholders from the Middle East state.
He said the aim Is to support Nigeria’s agricultural sector through mechanization by establishing the plants in the country.
He also said the Middle Eastern country has pledged to purchase from Nigeria 200,000 metric tons of red meat annually, as well as one million tons of soya.
According to him, this initiative will further strengthen the agricultural sector and increase the country’s production capacity.
“Following our fruitful discussions, the Minister of Agriculture of Saudi Arabia paid a return visit to Nigeria. During his two-day stay, we facilitated engagements with our agri-business entrepreneurs. These interactions were highly productive, leading to far-reaching discussions and mutual understanding.
“Shortly after the visit, we received an expression of interest from Saudi Arabia, indicating their desire to procure 200,000 metric tons of red meat annually, as well as one million tons of soya. I want to assure everyone that the supply of these valuable commodities will not affect Nigeria’s domestic consumption.
“Additionally, the Saudi government has expressed their willingness to support our country with mechanization by establishing factories for the manufacture of farm equipment. This will further bolster our agricultural sector and enhance our capacity for sustainable production,” Kyari said.
