The Federal Government has signalled that it is hopeful the ban on Nigeria’s agricultural commodities by the European Union and the United States of America, will be lifted soon.
This was disclosed by the Agriculture Minister, Dr Mohammad Abubakar, during a briefing by the Standing Inter-Ministerial Technical Committee (SIMTC) on Agro Zero Reject Initiative on Thursday in Abuja.
According to NAN, the minister stated that the current effort being made by the FG is to ensure Nigerian agricultural produce were accepted in the international market.
The minister made the statement based on the current effort of the committee to ensure Nigerian agricultural produce were accepted in the international market.
Abubakar said Nigeria’s potential for agricultural commodities export is large, adding that Nigeria’s Integrated Export Control Plan (IECP) should be put together meticulously.
“There is no doubt that Nigeria cannot realise its potential unless we do the right thing; work together first of all, and also realise and understand dealing with other agencies, private sector and governments across the world.
“It is not an easy task doing export business, there are a lot of regulations, and unless you start by putting your own home well, you will not be able to work outside.
“If we want to make headway we must come down and learn to work with one another, and that really needs to be done to achieve success.
“It is not about trading but getting Nigeria out of being banned from Europe, America and other countries.
“We should have seamless export transaction. We will do what it takes to do the right thing,” the minister said.
Director, Federal Department of Agriculture (FDA), Mr Abdullahi Abubakar, said the essence of the SIMTC, which was inaugurated on Feb. 28, 2021, was to ensure that the ban by the EU on the export of Nigerian beans was lifted. He warned that Nigeria should never again, suffer any rejection of our agro commodities in the export market.
“Before the ban, several unheeded notifications were sent to Nigerian authorities.
“To lift the ban, EU wanted Nigeria to control her export and provide substantial evidence that the necessary food safety requirements and protocols are put in place,” he said.
He added the IECP is a 5-year action plan for all the Sanitary and Phyto- Sanitary (SPS) agencies and critical stakeholders, and to provide substantive guarantee required by the EU that the SPS bodies in Nigeria put Food Safety protocols in place in line with the International Standard.
“Few private companies have agreed to key into the implementation of the pilot Action Plan that would get the ban on our beans lifted and pave way for admitting Nigeria produce for export,” he said.
The SIMTC was inaugurated on February 28, 2021, to ensure that the ban by the European Union (EU) on the export of Nigerian beans was lifted and that Nigeria never again suffers any rejection of her agro commodities in the export market.
This comes after the EU importation ban of Nigerian beans in 2015 on account of containing high level of pesticide, considered harmful to health.
Nigeria’s agricultural export surged by 57.02% to N504.9 billion in 2021 compared to N321.5 billion recorded in the previous year, which is also the highest agro-export income on record.
