A record that Nigerian meals products are rejected inside the international marketplace isn’t cheery towards the backdrop of the quest for the diversification of the economy and robust currency. The over-dependence on oil has stunted commercial development and is not sustainable. We need opportunity non-oil assets of sales to boost the financial system.
Therefore, we cannot come up with the money for to lose on the rural merchandise exportation the front. For, agriculture constituted the principle supply of foreign sales earlier than oil birthed and took over, and agriculture changed into abandoned.
The potentials are massive and inestimable. The economic system could be higher off if agriculture turns into the principal source of revenue in preference to oil.
Indeed, non-oil exports, in the shape of agricultural merchandise, represent a possible alternative source of revenue; that’s why the whole lot should be done to make sure the safety of the meals products locally and for export.
Achieving this requires the collaboration of farmers and the various businesses of the government concerned with meals manufacturing, processing, social control, and export. These might make sure that the exports meet international requirements and not rejected within the global market. The exchange rules have to be accompanied to make our exports acceptable.
To this stop, it’s far timely that applicable regulatory corporations of foods and export have been jolted and have expressed worry over the continuing rejection of Nigerian food products in the worldwide market. Even as they’ve teamed as much as ensuring the protection of the meals domestically and across the world The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), in collaboration with its sister organizations such as the Nigerian Customs Service, Standard Organization of Nigeria, SON, Shippers Councils, Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC), Nigeria Agricultural and Quarantine Service (NAQS), among others, are reportedly beginning a nationwide awareness on food safety below the Inter-business enterprise collaboration forum.
Speaking to reporters rapidly after a meeting of the organizations, tagged: “Effective Inter-businesses Collaboration as a Means to Diversify Nigerian Economy through Export,” the Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Christianah Adeyeye, expressed concerns approximately the rejection of Nigerian food products abroad, pronouncing that the rejection turned into not simplest about losing money but additionally losing Nigeria’s image.
“We are working together to make certain that awful products do not exit of us of an anymore, and this is one of the motives we put this meeting so that we can consolidate our efforts. From our discussions, we’re planning to consolidate via enlightenment, targeted sensitization, and consolidated checking out of those products between SON and NAFDAC. We need our human beings to understand the right factor to do before they ship their merchandise out of doors the United States of America,” Adeyeye said.
There is no doubt the inter-enterprise collaboration might motivate diversification of the economy via a systematic mechanism to facilitate export for Nigeria. The organized personal area (OPS) organizations consisting of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and nearby Chambers of Commerce and Industry should brace up too as mediocrity in manufacturing and packaging has been part of the challenges in this regard.
There is no doubt that Nigeria is keen to export agricultural produce as a way of diversifying the economy. Given the renewed enthusiasm by many country governments as well as non-public individuals to embark on meal production, desire is rising that during no remote time, there might be enough food for neighborhood consumption and export. This possibility is evident inside the quantum of rice and different crops produced. There is want; therefore, for authorities to make sure that not anything hinders the rising export pressure. The farmers and exporters would have no preference; however, to conform to any directives that police can also issue in this regard.
There is a critical venture that must entice the attention of the highest level of government at all ranges. Specifically, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council has to wake up too to get even the applicable schools of our tertiary establishments to step up research in the manufacturing and packaging of merchandise for exports. There is a virtual engineering age. There is a time of innovation through research that our universities and polytechnics need to embrace. So, know-how people, in this realm, must show up for the USA. If we lose out on export power, there’s no way the economic system can enhance. It is time for all stakeholders to wake up to this project, lest we must be the last even in the continent.