Hon. Nasir
said that no mango plantation orchard would exist to galvanize our present low
production level of 800,000 metric tons per annual without a proactive support
of financial institutions and other federal government agencies, adding a
situation where commercial banks would be demanding for an outrageous
collateral for farms in a remote side of the country cannot take the produce to
anywhere good in terms of sustainable productivity.
He demanded
that Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and Bank of Industry (BOI) be more responsive to
bridge the gap as specifically being created for the purposes of meeting the
needs of farmers and other manufacturers in terms of finance, just as he
stressed for the easy way of doing business that would enhance economic
development from agencies like National Export Promotion Council (NEPC),
National Agency for Food and Drug (NAFDAC), and Standard Organization of
Nigeria (SON)
Nasir stressed the need for increased
extension services in the production of competitive mangoes, saying other
government agencies must be interested in the role of extension workers and be
ready to give support in order to overcome challenges of certification and
standardization.
In his
speech, the Permanent Secretary (PS) FMITI Dr. Nasir sani-Gwarzo who was
represented by the Deputy Director (DD) commodity export department in the
ministry, Mr. S.O.G Twageringha said that government would not relent in the
provision of interactive platform for stakeholders’ engagement in the
agricultural commodities so as to be able to create necessary awareness on
sustainable productivity to create wealth and job.
Dr. Gwarzo added that the Federal Government (FG) has recently released the sum of N50 billion for export expansion facility programme which is aimed at protecting businesses from the negative impact of COVID-19 pandemic, stressed that the workshop is aimed to educate stakeholders along the mango value chains on good agricultural practices towards reducing post harvest losses and ensure prescribed standard for international markets.
He went
further to say that Nigeria has capacity to increase production from the
present level of 800,000 metric tons per annual through constant training of
farmers and other stakeholders at the value chain of the produce.
The event
witnessed the presence of the three commissioners of Agriculture and Food
security, Commerce and Industry and Cooperative, and Ministry of Environment of
the State of Osun as they all spoke in one accord that the Government is
working in the development of Agriculture with the provision of agro processing
centres to ensure value addition for agricultural produce.
Speaking on
the occasion, the Commissioner for commerce, industry and cooperative, Dr. Bode
Olanipekun stressed the need to ensure processing of mangoes, adding that the
state of Osun under the leadership of Governor Gboyega Oyetola was not unmindful
of this as he has set up nine aggregating centres to mitigate wastages of
fruits in the state.
Olanipekun implored the mango association
chapter in the state to make itself available to the ministry for effective
partnership for productivity, stressed that 60% of the fruits in the state
ended being wasted while the rest 40% for local consumption was not too good.
The Commissioner
for Agriculture and Food security, Hon. Adebayo Adewole, ably represented by
Mr. O.A Oladapo said that mango enhancement productivity would generate more
job for people at the various value chains of the produce, adding that the
state of Osun has budgeted substantial amount of money to establish agro
processing factories at Irewole and Atakumosa local government areas of Osun
state to ensure value additions.
Hon.
Adewole added that Osun state is endowed with fertile soil to grow mangoes and
other arable crops thereby asking investors to harness the opportunity of
conducive and enabling environment for agro processing to create jobs.
The
environment commissioner, Hon. Solagbade Oladepo who supported the view of his
colleagues added that government would continue to support farmers in the state
with resources being committed to promote investment in agriculture and agro
forestry through availability of infrastructure, credit and extension services.
In his
training, the resource person of the day, Dr. Vincent Umeh of National
Horticultural research Institute (NIHORT) took farmers from elementary improved
seed varieties adoptable to every ecology of mangoes producing states in
Nigeria, saying each variety is ecology specific in Kano, Kaduna, Nazarawa,
Adamawa, Bauch, Benue, Oyo and Ogbomoso adding that exportable mangoes have
their specifications that must be known to farmers.
Dr. Umeh
explained why global agricultural practices must be upheld to prevent rejection
from chemical residuals, flies infection and every other micro organisms,
stressed the need to always keep the farm clean from flies invasion with net
traps in a bio-safety way without any chemical spray.
He
advocated for increased production of mangoes through orchards plantation using
improved variety that can meet the commercial needs of local and international
market within few year of 3-4, adding that no export of the produce is
presenting going in the country.
Umeh advised farmers on the need to constantly
prone their mango trees to avoid unusual height that can make harvesting
difficult saying a soft landing mechanism must be apply when harvesting to
prevent bruises on the mangoes that can attract insect or other infectors.
He however
emphasized on the need for cool storage for the mangoes, and the use of covered
vehicles to transport the mango to the point of processing for derivatives.
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