The Managing Director of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Hans Essaadi, has advocated the need for the Federal Government to place sorghum as a focus crop under its Anchor Borrowers Programme, given its growing demand and usage by many manufacturing companies in its production processes.

A statement by the company said Essaadi made the call while speaking recently at a panel session during the 2022 Employers Summit organised by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association.

He noted that it had become imperative for government to include sorghum, as one of the critical agricultural commodities, saying that doing so would help reduce the pressure on foreign exchange from companies, thereby conserving Nigeria’s foreign reserves.

He further noted that the inclusion would significantly boost and create more jobs as many smallholder farmers would get more involved in its cultivation.

Speaking on the topic, “Backward Integration and the Promotion of Made in Nigeria Goods,” Essaadi explained that Nigerian Breweries Plc had invested heavily over the years in research and development in the sorghum value chain and this had delivered enormous gains, particularly with the local production of malted sorghum and malted syrup replacing the imported high maltose syrup since 2019.”