Lagosians Consume Cow Meat Worth N328 Billion – Perm Sec

Do you know that Lagosians consume cow meat worth N328 billion per annum?

And do you know also that 98 % of such cow meat is sourced from cow from the Northern part of the country?.

Well, those were the revelations from the Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Ibironke Empokpae.

The remaining 2 per cent is a shortfall in local production and represents about 181,757 tons of meat or about 1,235,601 heads of cattle per annum.

Emokpae made the revelations today speaking today, Monday in Lagos .

Represented by the commissioner, Ms Abisola Olusanya, at a cattle feedlot screening for 36 investors, she said the feedlot screening was necessary because the transactional value of cattle traded in Lagos State was huge.

-Cow meat-

According to her,  when the red meat transformation agenda comes fully into play it would help the state government to eliminate logistics costs of transporting cattle.

The Permanent Secretary Emokpae emphasised added that the cattle feedlots initiative would bridge the demand and supply gap and prevent food crises in the state.

The feedlot represents an intensive production system with the goal of growing and fattening cattle until they reach slaughter weight.

“The partnership with private investors will prevent food crisis associated with ethno-religious crisis, cattle rustling, and zoonotic diseases and encourage animal traceability.

“The state embarked on the Cattle Feedlot Systems partnership to evolve a model that will bring in investors who are fully ready technically, administratively and financially to kick-start the project.

“I should bring to your remembrance that Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration which is keen in making our agricultural sector viable and sustainable decided to change the face of agriculture and food system in the state.

-Cow meat –

“The governor made this possible through the Ministry of Agriculture’s five-year roadmap where he established linkages, collaborations and strategic partnership with organisations,’’ she said.

Emokpae said government remained focused on enforcing a market structure that ensured a transformation in food systems.

It, therefore, invited interested investors through media advertisements to bid for the feedlots, she said, adding that the state received more than 150 Expressions of Interest as against the 100 it proposed.

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Also speaking, the Project Manager in the ministry, Mr Ayokunle Omileye, noted that the state had acquired about 750 hectares of land for the project.