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Curbing export rejects through improved standards
Curbing export rejects through improved standards
By Gregory Mmaduakolam, News Agency of Nigeria
International trade is vital to the growth of any economy.
Nigeria’s economy has been largely serviced by foreign exchange earned from crude oil sales.
The present administration, on various occasions, has vowed to continue to move the country away from monolithic economy to one in which foreign exchange is earned from diverse sources.
Speaking at the 27th Annual National Conference of the Association of National Accountants of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari, has said there is a need to sustain the diversification of the economy already achieved by this administration.
Represented at the event by the Minister of State, Budget and National Planning, Prince Clem Agba, said that a national development plan has been generated to respond to the challenges of a mono-economy.
He said the two broad objectives of the plan is leveraging on various growth sectors, strengthening linkages and enhancing value chain.
One of the sectors expected to drive this agenda is agriculture and the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources, Dr Ernest Umakhihe says emphasis is being placed on adding value to agro products before exporting them.
He spoke at the 45th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD) in Jos, Plateau State.
Experts say this target faces one major challenge—the rejection of produce from Nigeria by the international market.
Some of the reasons cited for the rejections are food safety, technical barriers, non-adherence to best practices and disregard for basic requirements.
Nigeria being faced with a lot of economic challenges as experienced globally by other nations cannot just relax and allow this other way of earning foreign exchange from its products at the global markets to slip it by, without ensuring that critical measures are taken to harness this advantage.
The Executive Director, Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak has acknowledged this shortcoming, saying that the Council was poised to address it holistically.
“Packaging and labelling is also a key factor that determines the sustainability of products in the foreign market.
“The problem of quality, standard, certification and appropriate packaging for Made-in-Nigeria products destined for export has been an issue due to lack of awareness.
“In fact the international market in its competitive nature will only welcome products of high quality with relevant certifications and quality packaging that is environmentally friendly”, the media recently quoted him as saying.
According to him, the international market is so competitive that any little detail that is not fixed can cause the exporting country several billions of dollars and discourage exporters from patronising products from that country in the future.
“ In most cases, packaging has often been approached from the view point of providing safety for the product thereby neglecting the other qualities such as the aesthetics and design nature of the packaging itself.
“The market world has changed systematically giving more preference to products with good packaging and edging out producers without certification,’’ he said.
Similarly Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General of National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said, over 76 per cent of Nigeria’s exported agricultural commodities are rejected in Europe for not meeting required standards.
Adeyeye, while speaking on measures taken to improve the country’s agricultural product exports, said the agency got the feedback through its rapid alert systems.
“We’ve got to work hard to show that we love this country to the extent that we will not bring disgrace to the country from outside.
“When somebody saves money, gets loans or whatever, exports an agricultural product and that product is rejected, it breaks my heart,” she said.
Mrs Adeyeye said it is important for exporters to respect regulatory procedures of NAFDAC and Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Services (NAQS) when processing their export farm produce for export.
“So the people that are exporting are either taking shortcuts or they’re being deceived that their products are okay, just ship it, we will take care of it,” she said in a recent media report.
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She, therefor, appealed to commodity exporters to work closely with relevant authorities such as NAFDAC and NEPC to ensure that the chance of their products being rejected abroad was drastically minismised.
“I am pleading with all exporters, and MSMEs who want to export to please come to NAFDAC to make sure their products meet international market standards,” she said.
In adding , the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, said the Federal Government was doing everything possible to ensure that products being exported from Nigeria were not rejected abroad for not meeting health safety standards.
Ehanire, spoke in Lagos State during the opening of a six-day training for members of the National Codex Committee on Food Safety Risk Analysis and the revised NCC procedural manual organised in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).
He said the Federal Government had taken steps “to ensure protection of food safe also to ensure fair practice in international food trade’’.
“We have been hearing of rejection of our products; it is because there’s no adherence to standards, and this is not giving the country a good image.
“It’s affecting us economically; tourism wise and in every other aspect’’, he said.
Malam Farouk Salim, Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), said the Organisation has raised the standards to check the rejection faced by Nigeria’s agricultural commodities in global markets.
The move according to the standards body is apt and timely to make Nigeria agro commodities competitive at the international markets, especially with the introduction of African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA)
According Salim, Nigerian goods are rejected, because they fail standard procedure locally before being exported.
“Exporters do not check the standards of the country they are exporting to.
“So as long as our exporters ignore our standards they will have their products rejected.
If they follow due procedures; we are here to partner and assist them to make sure that their products are accepted globally.
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“If the exporters come through us and they follow the standards of our country and they follow the standards of the country they are exporting to, they will have no problem of rejection” he said.
Dr Vincent Isegbe, Director-General, NAQS, urged exporters to take advantage of experts in his agency to reduce the losses they incur due to the rejection of their products abroad.
“Commodities leaving Nigeria must be signed and certified by the Service to get the Phytosanitary Certificate.
“As custodians of rules and regulations concerning plants and products, we have power to exercise our obligations towards all those international protocols”, he said.
As exporters seek to leverage on the international market to project Nigeria’s products and maximise profit, it will benefit them to key into Federal Government’s policies to ensure their products is of top quality.
(NANFeafutures)
**If used please credit the writer and News Agency of Nigeria.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
Gov. Simon Lalong of Plateau has appealed to the Federal Government to upgrade Potato Station in Kuru to a full fledged Potato Research Institute.
Lalong made the appeal on Thursday at the opening of 45th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD) holding in Jos.
Lalong said that the institute was necessary because of increased incidences of devastation of potato farms by potato blight disease.
The governor stated that the blight almost wiped out the existing low yielding and degenerated seeds.
“The Potato Research Institute will enable the breaking of new frontiers in varieties research, seed production, introduction of blight tolerant and disease resistant varieties.
“It will also help in farmer education, linkages with other local and international institutions among others.
“Already, we have conducted research which indicates that potato usually produced within the central and northern senatorial districts can now be grown in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.
“Plateau, as at today, produces about 90 per cent of the potatoes consumed in the country and I think establishing a research institute was imperative,” he said.
Lalong stated that as a government, his administration had in the last seven years given enormous attention to agriculture.
He said that the Plateau government had ensured the provision of farm inputs, such as tractors, fertilisers, chemicals as well as improved seedlings towards ensuring that the people benefitted from the natural endowments of the state.
The governor said that farmers have been empowered through cooperative societies and farmer associations in the production of many crops and assorted vegetables unique to Plateau environment.
“Under our partnership with the African Development Bank, potato farming has been escalated from a subsistence activity to a large scale activity aimed at supplying the domestic market and export.
“We have completed a Tissue Culture Laboratory in Mangu as well as built processing centres and warehouses in various local governments.
“Similarly, we have built market stalls in various centres to make the marketing of the product very easy and cost-effective,” he said.
Lalong commended the Federal Government especially the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for patronising Plateau.
He stated that aside hosting the NCARD, Plateau last year flagged off wheat production and was declared as a centre of excellence for wheat production in the country.
He added that Plateau also received attention and support in the process of implementing the National Livestock Transformation Programme (NLTP).
The Gbong Gwom Jos, Jacob Gyang Buba, in his remarks, said that economic security was critical for physical security to be achieved.
The traditional ruler lauded the Northern Governors Forum for approving state police for the area.
He said that with adequate security, farmers would return to their farms and increase food production.
He appealed to the Federal Ministry Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) to come up with programmes in collaboration with states in order address their peculiarities.
According to him, some agricultural programmes failed because they were not compatible to the states peculiarities.
Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, represented by Mr Janet Olisa, a Director, said that the ministry would continue to support FMARD to achieve its mandate.
NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Dr Mohammad Abubakar, on Thursday said the agriculture sector contributed 23 per cent to the nation’s Gross Domestic Products (GDP) in first half of 2022.
Abubakar stated this in his keynote address at the opening ceremony of the 45th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD) in Jos
The minister said the figure was from National Bureau of Statistics recent report.
According to him, the report indicated that the sector topped the chart in a survey of seven sectors identified to have contributed to Nigeria’s economy in the second quarter of 2022.
He emphasised that agriculture out-performed six other sectors comprising trade, telecommunications, manufacturing, oil and gas, real estate as well as finance and insurance.
“The chart revealed that agriculture alone contributed 23.3 per cent to GDP (Half Year 2022), which supports the positive trend of the previous years’ performance of 25.88 per cent (2021); 26.21 per cent (2020); 25.16 per cent (2019); 25.13 per cent (2018); 25.08 per cent (2017); 24.45 per cent (2016) and 23.11 per cent (2015).
“The data also reflects the impact of the implementation of programmes and projects in the agricultural sector despite the security challenges in the country.
“To further improve on performance, we are strengthening the linkage between research, agriculture and industry by intensifying our commodity value chain development process,” he said.
The minister noted that the process was guided by the new framework of the National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP), 2022-2027, launched in August.
According to him, NATIP seeks to modernise the agriculture sector in line with changing global food systems and supply chains.
“Actually, NATIP is the ministry’s response to the present administration agenda of diversifying the nation’s economy from petroleum oil-based to agriculture and solid minerals.
“The document serves as successor policy of the Agricultural Promotion Policy (APP), 2016-2020,”he added.
The Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Mustapha Shehuri, said government was intensifying efforts on commodity value chain development process to grow agriculture and diversify the economy.
Shehuri stated that such efforts would ensure food security and empower the citizenry through public-private-partnership.
The minister of state further said that government would use infrastructure, technology and entrepreneurship as veritable tools for exploring agricultural potential.
He added that government also intended to use infrastracture and technology in strengthening inter-and intra-sectoral linkages and improving socio-economic development in the country.
The President, All Farmers Association (AFAN), Dr Rabiu Mudi, commended the FMARD for taking its pride of place in Nigeria.
However, he said that though, there was hunger in the land, there was urgent need to strategise, to boost agriculture and reduce the hunger.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that commissioners, permanent secretaries and directors of agriculture attended the meeting.
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Federal Government is to collaborate with State Governments and other stakeholders towards improving value chain in the agriculture sector.
This is contained in a statement issued by Ezeaja Ikemefuna, Chief Information Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ikemefuna said the Permanent Secretary, of the ministry, Dr Ernest Umakhihe made this known at the 45th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD) on Tuesday in Plateau.
Umakhihe said this would enhanced the livelihood of the smallholder farmers as well as modify the commodity value chain development processes.
The theme of the meeting is ” Strengthening Agricultural Value Chains Development Process for Food Security and Economic Development”.
The permanent secretary was represented by the Director, Department of Agriculture Land and Climate Change Management Services, Mr Shehu Bello.
He said that the agricultural commodity value chain development as a corner stone and strategic implementation imperatives requires a robust discussion and deliberate decisions on intervention models.
” The foundation to achieve the desired success is the commitment to the provision of incentives , increase the output and quality of agricultural commodities to meet and surpass national requirements.
“We can achieve a diversified economic base with Agriculture leading the way for the non-oil sectors of the economy,” he said.
Umakhihe said that the Ministry through the launch of National Agricultural Technology Innovation Plan 2022 to 2027 (NATIP) has demonstrated commitment of the sector to address all conceivable challenges besetting the sector.
He said the focus is on strengthening and developing agricultural value chain.
” The impact has been enormous as it contributes to food security, increases productivity and efficiency, engenders diversification, and generates higher incomes.
” Also reduces post-harvest losses as well as generates employment opportunities,” he said.
Umakhihe said that the ministry would prioritised its efforts of increasing agricultural processing capacity in the country through the establishment of several cottage industries for the production of staple food products.
He said that it would ensure a steady off-take of produce from out-growers, enhance the income of farmers and entrepreneurs across all commodity value chains.
The Plateau Commissioner for Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr Hosea Finangwai, appealed that the memorandum for the upgrade of the Potato Station at Karu be given priority on its merit.
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
The Federal Government on Tuesday inaugurated the
Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the 45th Regular Meeting of the National Council on Agriculture and Rural Development (NCARD).
A statement by Mr Mohammed Gana, Information Officer II of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, announced this on Monday in Abuja.
Dr Ernest Umakhihe, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, while inaugurating the committee in Abuja, tasked them to address critical issues affecting development and management in the agricultural sector.
Umakhihe said that the 45th regular meeting would hold from Sept. 13 to 17 in Plateau State.
He said agriculture was a critical sector that touched peoples’ livelihoods and needs, adding it deserved all necessary inputs to make it economically efficient, effective to achieve food and nutrition security.
He said that the council was expected to fully explore the possibility of using the unique platform provided by the forthcoming NCARD to develop workable policies and strategies that would enable the ministry to deliver on its mandate to the nation.
The permanent secretary said this was necessary to create sustainable impacts in the agricultural sector of the economy.
” The council will play important role towards enhancing the efforts of the present administration’s agenda of uplifting 100 million Nigerians out of poverty in the next 10 years and the expectations both the Government and the general populace are high.
He called on the LOC to ensure that everything was put in place for the seamless meeting of the council as well as to track the implementation of the resolutions of the 2021 council meeting, being one of the major priorities.
The Director, Planning and Policy Coordination of the ministry, Mr Ibrahim Bello, thanked Umakhihe for his support and contributions toward the inauguration of the committee.
Bello pledged that the committee would work assiduously to achieve its set objectives.
The terms of reference of the LOC include to put in place necessary arrangements to facilitate successful conduct of the meeting, provide adequate and efficient secretariat to guarantee smooth conduct and accurate documentation of all proceedings.
To adequately supply and distribute conference materials, efficient conduct of participants and any other activities initiated to add value to the event.
It will also prepare and submit to management, progress reports on activities of the committee leading to and after the conduct of the event.
It’s also tasked to ensure adequate publicity for the event and full active participation of stakeholders, among others.
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NewsSourceCredit: NAN
