CFM Pledges Customer Satisfaction

Hamid Ayodeji
Crown Flour Mill Limited (CFM), a subsidiary of Olam Nigeria, has reiterated its promise to continue to collaborate with other stakeholders within the wheat value chain in order to sustain value proposition in the sector.

Managing Director, CFM, Ashish Pande, who was represented by Corporate Affairs Manager, Olam Nigeria, Damilola Adeniyi, pointed out that the rising consumption of wheat derivative foods in the country has stimulated further job opportunities at the production, processing, distribution, warehousing and retailing levels of the wheat value chain.

This, the organisation revealed during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, in Abuja, recently

Pande, explained that flour millers continue to take bold steps through scaled investments in critical areas, including seed trial and research, training of smallholder wheat farmers and funding of the various farming research institutes in the country to ensure that the current local production level of the wheat crop improves significantly.

Pande said, “Presently, the wheat value chain accounts for over 10.5 million jobs generated annually in Nigeria. This of course has placed the wheat value chain at the centre of the various economic development agenda of the federal government of Nigeria.

“While these efforts have ensured that we keep providing affordable and quality food for the growing Nigerian population, they have also helped to increase the number of jobs being created for the active segment of the population.

“Overall, the investment efforts, which extend to capacity building initiatives for bakers, are beginning to yield positive results.”

Speaking further on the importance of the local wheat value chain, he noted that while prices of other major national staple foods such as rice, garri, yam and beans have risen sharply by 3.2 per cent, six per cent, 5.3 per cent, and 13.4 per cent, respectively, in the past months, the prices of wheat derivative foods have been largely cushioned from the inflationary trend by local millers and bakers who continuously absorb the extra cost of production to keep feeding the population.

The CFM boss also solicited the backing of the Minister of Labour and Employment to ensure that millers continue to deliver on their employment generating potential.

“If the current wheat value chain developmental drive is sustained, it would help secure the jobs of many Nigerians while ensuring that more homes continue to gain access to affordable quality wheat derivative foods such as semolina, bread, noodles and pasta,” he added.

On his part, Ngige, said, “The Ministry of Labour and Employment is committed to supporting efforts that are geared towards providing good jobs for Nigerians and ultimately growing the economy.

“I am delighted over the extensive investments that the Olam group has made and continues to make in the food and agricultural value chain, as the level of investment presently being channeled into developing the value chain is of paramount importance to help reduce the level of unemployment and underemployment in the economy.
“In addition, sustaining and scaling the current level of developmental projects in the value chain is key to keeping Nigerians gainfully employed and well-nourished.”