The Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NABG) and other stakeholders have moved to ensure institution of strong policy and implementation of standards on agricultural commodities to tackle rejection of agro-products in the international market.
The Director-General of NABG, Dr Manzo Maigari, at a One-day Stakeholders Consultative Workshop organized by the group noted that the workshop that was funded and supported by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was meant to make Nigeria become a major player in international agribusiness.
NABG works with other stakeholders in agriculture in creating enabling environment for agribusinesses to thrive for easy diversification of economy of the country away from oil and gas to agricultural industrialization.
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Maigari stated that the workshop became crucial as a result of reports of many cases associated with the rejection of agricultural commodities from Nigeria in the international market due to absence of expected and acceptable standards.
According to him, local trading of agricultural produce can tolerate certain standard, but to be competitive in international market, there is a need to comply with global benchmarks for standards and grading.
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He disclosed that lack of policy framework in Nigeria has negatively impacted export of agricultural commodities over the years as a result of poor standard, uncertainty in the quality, certification and sanitation of the product.
“We represent the business sector and therefore what we must do with setting up a framework for business or agribusiness actually begins with quality and standards, and for us this is the foundation.
“Once we can get this right, and we can we can compete in the global markets then we make money. But so far we are not competitive because we do not have global certifications.” Maigari said
