The National Onion Producers, Processors And Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN) has appealed to both States and Federal government to improve Onions value chain, through provision of enabling business environment for the association.
The National President of NOPPMAN, Alhaji Aliyu Isah Maitsasumu, made the appeal while addressing journalist shortly after the National Executive Meeting (NEC) of the association held at NBC Century House, Lusaka Street Zone 6, Abuja.
Nigeria produces 1.4 million metric tons which fall short of its domestic demand of 2.5 million metric tons. This demand gap is largely occasioned by the inability to access necessary farming inputs on a timely basis.
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Other factors include post-harvest losses due to the poor storage facility and inadequate processing plants due to lack of access to cheap credit facilities from government interventions.
Maitsasumu disclosed the achievements recorded by the association in onion sub-sector, while highlighting challenges they are facing in achieving their aims and goals in contributing to the increment of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and creating job opportunities through profitable onion production.
He boasted that the association under his leadership has been able to initiate formal and documented exports, embarking on modern onion storage facility in Kuje, Abuja, which is the new initiative in the whole sub-sahara Africa.
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“With this storage facility at Kuje, Abuja, the issue of spoil onion as a result of adequate storage facility is now the thing of the past, and this has resulted into more revenue for our members”. Furthermore, Nigeria will stand to generate four hundred and twenty million US dollars annually from Onion export if there is value addition”.
NOPPMAN chairman furthers explained that their challenges includes double conversion rate, shortage in production as well as high-interest rate from the commercial banks among other factors.
