Where FG's diversification effort is yielding most - Perm Sec

Chief Audu Ogbeh

Chief Audu Ogbeh chairman of ACF backs abolition of open grazing

Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh

Mr Sunday Edet-Akpan, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, says Federal Government’s efforts at diversifying the economy is yielding results.

He said the efforts had resulted in increased foreign exchange from agricultural products.

Edet-Akpan said this on Friday in Anyigba, Kogi, while opening a one-day workshop on cashew nuts value chain, entitled: “Cashew Nuts Quality Control and Regulations in Nigeria”, organised by Federal Produce Inspection Services.

He said that data from the foreign trade report of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed that Nigeria’s total export for the third quarter of 2018 was N4.85 billion.

The figure, according to him, represents a 7.8 per cent increase from second quarter of 2018 and a 35.7 per cent increase over third quarter of 2017.

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“This is an indication that Nigeria’s effort to diversify the economy appears to be yielding results with increased revenue from cashew nuts and other agriculture products’ export,” he said.

The permanent secretary said the achievement could only be sustained if stakeholders in the cashew value chain adhered strictly to global best practices in cashew business.

This, the permanent secretary said, necessitated the workshop which was expected to evolve workable initiatives, particularly on how best to improve on cashew quality taking into cognisance relevant quality parameters.

The quality parameters according to him, include mouldiness, insect damage, slatey, black spots and dampness as well as relevant national and international regulations, application of recommended agro-chemicals and improved enforcement of quality control of agricultural commodities.

“This will in turn help in complying with the Sanitary and Phyto-Sanitary Measures (SPS) agreement and World Trade Organisation (WTO) regulations and enhance competitiveness of our agro commodities in the international market. He maintained.

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