Produce export: Farmers lack information says Agric Minister

Farmers in Nigeria have been described as not having enough information about the standard requirement of agricultural produce to the point of giving maximum premium price both locally and international.

This was the position taken by the minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh and others at the recently held Agri-produce Exportation Summit organised by the Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI) held in Abuja.

Speaking at the summit themed: “Smallholders and Rural Agro Producers’ Inclusive in Exportation”, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh who championed this opinion urged all operators in the agricultural sector to be abreast of standard conventions for food and agricultural produce towards ensuring standard across the country.

Ogbeh , who was represented by the Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Mohammed Umar said that adequate knowledge of regulations and standards was key to reducing the incidence of rejection of the country’s produce at the international market, noting that it was important to checkmate losses as farmers are adequately informed about best agricultural practices that will give premium price.

He added that addressing the issue of rejection through quality control and standardisation would ensure best practices in the food handling chains, and linking stakeholders and farmers together towards quality consumption pointing that “a major emphasis has been on stimulating the export of these produce toward increasing our foreign exchange earnings”

He continued:“In doing this, we are giving attention to meeting the taste and preferences of not only the local but also international consumers in our production choices which include government regulations and policies that are well informed, beneficial and backed with relevant research being put in place to execute the mandate professionally,”.

The Executive Director/ Chief Executive ARMTI, Dr. Olufemi Oladunni said that the summit was to address farmers’ challenges in the area of agricultural productivity and ensuring standard processes that would increase wealth and income generations adding that export opportunities were huge and accessible to all categories of stakeholders including small-scale and big farmers who acquitted with best practices.

Dr. Oladunni promised that the summit would be taken round the six geopolitical zones as soon as all the necessary framework are put in place for the benefit of farmers towards unstoppable agro exportation adding that each state and local government replicate the model to effectively position themselves for better food productivity.  

The Senior Special Assistant to the Vice President on Agriculture, Mr. Oludapo Bright also admonished farmers to be self determined to sustain agro based agriculture without much reliance on government stressed that all agricultural produce must endeavour to meet best agronomics practices of standard and acceptance adding that “ there is need to be more competitive and also key into research, so that the way we package our product will be more attractive for the consumers in the global market.”

He advised farmers to research properly before going into exportation and to also learn to team up with other farmers in the area of marketing so that the issue of postharvest losses which was about 60% is duly curbed in the country.

Also, the commodity certification officer in the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), Dr Solomon Sunday however appealed to intended exporters to seek guidelines before export saying the step would help to checkmate rejection of the country’s agricultural commodities with emphasis that farmers must get things right.

Participants called for farmers’ inclusion in decision-making in issues that concern them like strengthening of the research system; and need to set up a fund for exportation.

They further pointed that the government needs to identify the key stakeholders in the sector so that the necessary information’s can be well disseminated to the grassroots farmers to be able to curb the challenges faced by the farmers.

In a statement issued at the end of the three days meeting it was stated that agricultural produce exporters are faced with the challenges of poor/weak infrastructure, inadequate extension delivery services, inadequate access to input, limited access to financial assistance, etc.