Ban on barley importation Beverages industry find alternative

The beverages industry has resorted to the use of malted sorghum in place of barley to beat the ban n importation of barley expected to take effect January 1 next year.
This will allay the fears of investors in quoted beverages firms who may begin to shed off their holdings for fear of making losses.
Speaking to The Republic on Wednesday, the director of the Federal Institute of Research, Oshodi, Dr. Kolaosho said that the research into sorghum has shown that malt made from sorghum is a good and close substitute for barley malt.
The director further said that some of the major beverages processing firms were introduced to the use of sorghum since last year and that there has been no indication of mixed feelings as a result of the use of sorghum malt in beverage concentrates.
When The Republic called on Cadbury, one of the beverages processing plant in the country, sources close to the management declined comment.
It would be recalled that the federal government pronouncement that malt from barley a major concentrate in lager beer brewering worried most investors in the breweries sector, most of whom traded off their share holdings last week.
Experts who spoke to The Republic said although malt is used in beverages concentrates, it is not a major material for beverage processing.
They further said that a shift from barley malt to sorghum will not have a significant or noticeable effect on beverages.