FG Commences Quality Control Management on Agric products

The Federal Government in efforts to achieving a zero rejection on Nigeria Agricultural products has Commenced validated strategy document for a single quality control management system plan against total rejection of Agricultural commodities and other non Oil products for export.

 Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade and industries with other agencies committee will help to harmonize concern agencies in certifying the quality of Agricultural produce exported from Nigeria.

Speaking at the validation meeting on Tuesday at the FMARD Head office in Abuja, the minister Chief Audu Ogbe, assisted by his Minister for State, Bar. Heineken Lokpobiri said, “The concern of standard and quality control must be taken seriously as there is no other time than now to maintain global internationally recognized measure as there is no other choice before us.

“In a globalized world in this era of free Trade, nothing is more embarrassing and tragic than to continue to have Nigerian goods and food items rejected in the world market. We have reacted to this event in the past with our usual lack of seriousness. We may have treated the rejection by other economies as prejudice and discrimination; these to me is defeating, we have never seriously paid attention especially since the dissolution of the marketing boards to the question of standard as demanded by humanity elsewhere especially in the developed economies and emerging markets. We may have been able to survive all these years because revenue was coming from Oil and gas. The boom era of huge oil revenue is gradually coming to an end. It is a painful reality which coincidentally presents us a unique opportunity to innovate and do things differently, we must embrace a new paradigm of development by harnessing opportunities elsewhere especially in Agriculture to rapidly diversify the national economy for inclusive growth and sustainable development”, he maintained.

“The glaring and best alternative is agriculture with emphasis on self sufficiency in our local staples, modernization, value addition and agro exports to the rest of the world by ensuring that we satisfy the prescribed international standards and receive certification to enhance global acceptance of our agricultural and non-Oil exports. It is time for Nigerians to recognize that there is only one global and acceptable standard in the world as there can be no Nigerian or Chinese standard when it comes to food.

“if sub Saharan African countries like Ghana, Cote d’voire, Kenya, South Africa to mention a few are exporting fruits, Vegetables and other agricultural commodities to countries across the world, the time for us to get serious  and follow suit is now”, he said.

The Minister pointed that zero tolerance must be maintained for the transportation of Sub Standard produce within and outside the country by land, air or sea through circumventing certification and quality control compliance checks and indulging in bribery and other unhealthy, unethical and despicable acts in our desperate need to cheat the system, weaken its institutions and render them less effective.

 The Minister warned that henceforth, government will ensure that all exporters of agro produce follow the rules by complying with prescribed global standard.

He said government will make quarantine services available at all export Airports and Seaports saying, “Anything that poison us cannot be standard by any measure so, agro -chemical infestation, dead objects, feces of animals and all kinds of unwholesome presence in our Agro exports can no longer be acceptable”., he added.