Connect with us

Agric

FG won’t relent in its yam export initiative – Ogbe

Published

on

Change in grazing patterns will address farmers-herders clashes, says OgbehChange in grazing patterns will address farmers-herders clashes, says Ogbeh

The Federal Government says it will not relent in its yam export policy which is aimed at attracting foreign exchange for the country.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, said this during a sensitisation walk in commemoration of the World Food Day in Abuja on Tuesday.

Ogbeh, who was reacting to reports that some yams recently exported to Britain were rejected, said that the policy had come to stay.

The minister said that the set back would not deter the dealers of the produce from exporting it, pointing out that the current world market for yams was worth $12 billion.

He said that the country could not afford to stay away from it because it was the highest producers of yams in the world.

“I read some news report about some yams arriving in Britain and being rejected. They stayed so long en route and if they stay that long, they are bound to rot.

“It happens to yams from Ghana as well. We will not stop the policy of the exportation of yam. I can assure you that.

“It is a policy that will stay because we are the largest producers of yams in the world. We produce 67 per cent of the yams.

“We will continue to help exporters; we will not as an institute export yams. We only support the private sector to do that and if there are problems we will solve them,’’ he said.

Recall that the yam export initiative was flagged off on June 29 and the consignment exported to the US recently was rejected.

Exporters of yam include Messrs Wan-Nyikwagh Farms Nig. Ltd, Gboko, Nigeria and Oklanbest Limited, Ibadan, Nigeria.

Meanwhile, an exporter of the product, Mr Yandev Amaabai, has identified the challenges that government should addressed to ease the exportation yams.

He said they included lack of refrigerated container and the long time the produce stay on the before its arrival to Europe of America.

Nan

NEWSVERGE, published by The Verge Communications is an online community of international news portal and social advocates dedicated to bringing you commentaries, features, news reports from a Nigerian-African perspective. A unique organization, founded in the spirit of Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, comprising of ordinary people with an overriding commitment to seeking the truth and publishing it without fear or favour. The Verge Communications is fully registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a corporate organization.

Comments
NIGERIA DECIDES

NIGERIA DECIDES

Shell Digital Plan RESPONSIVE600x750
Shell Digital Plan RESPONSIVE600x750
GTB
JoinOurWhatsAppChannel