NEPC trains Imo exporters on mushroom production

The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has trained Imo exporters on the gains of mushroom production for exportation and job creation.

In a speech at a one-day workshop on mushroom production in Owerri, on Wednesday, the Executive Director of NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, said that the health and economic benefits of mushroom made it a viable export product.

Yakusak, represented by the council’s Coordinator in Imo, Mr Anthony Ajuruchi, said that there was no better time to venture into commercial mushroom production than now.

According to him, the plant has provided an alternative source of income in Europe and parts of Asia, especially India and China.

He spoke on the theme, “Exploring the opportunities in mushroom production for export and job creation”.

Yakusak said that the market for mushroom is huge, with an estimated annual demand of 323,000 tonnes of the commodity in Europe, valued at 699 million dollars.

He urged Nigerian exporters to take advantage of the untapped potentials in mushroom production to grow Nigeria’s foreign exchange and reduce the pressure on the naira.

“Raising the technical capacity of our people to engage in the production of non-traditional export products, such as mushroom, will increase the contributions of non-oil exports to the growth and diversification of our economy.

“With the high demand for mushroom products in the international market, we can take advantage of the opportunity to join Europe and Asia in this highly competitive market,” he said.

Also, the Imo Coordinator of the National Mushroom Growers, Processors and Marketers Association, Mr Victor Nwadinma, described mushroom as rich in vitamins and antioxidants, adding that it is easy to produce.

He urged exporters to take advantage of the export potentials in mushroom production as global demands continue to increase.

The Chief Economic Adviser to Gov. Hope Uzodinma of Imo, Prof. Kenneth Amaechi, said that the state government had organised capacity building programmes and webinars on opportunities for building the state’s economy.

Amaechi, represented by his Technical Adviser, Mrs Jovita Agwu, said that her office was open for effective partnerships and mentorship for economic growth in various areas of the economy, including agriculture, for export.