Banana president advocates produce tracibility , prefers gradual value addition

The National President of Banana/ Plantain Growers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria ( BPGPMA), Chief. Adjarho Joshua Oghenekaro has posited that traceability of all Agricultural produce should be upheld by proactive law, just as he prefers 30% value addition with a gradual process.

Chief Adjarho Oghenekaro, who doubles as the Deputy National President, Federation of Agricultural Commodity Associations ( FACAN), pointed out that a pragmatic law must be put in place to ensure tracility towards standards that must be enforced by the designated authorities. 

Adjarho argued farmers must be well organized in their produce production to ensure uniformity of best agronomics for better yields, standards, and traceability with an authorized seal from apex Commodity bodies and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services to replicate what is obtainable outside the country.

Speaking on the 30% value addition Act as being presented by Raw Materials Research Development Council ( RMRDC) before the Senate, he said the process to achieve such an Act must look into all facilities that would make the law effective, saying there is a need to be gradual as being posited by FACAN, especially with fast perishable agricultural raw materials.

He pointed out that such a law could be more applicable to raw mineral resources that are being mined in Nigeria without any processing and value addition, while he proposed the provision for facilities to ensure 30% raw agricultural produce before export.