- Agency Reports
Agriculture stakeholders have commended the Federal Government’s move to improve the acceptance of Nigerian food exports in the international market.
The stakeholders made the commendation in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Lagos.
NAN reports that the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security recently inaugurated a Technical Working Group on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards.
The group is expected to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural produce arising from non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.
The Director-General of the Youths for Apiculture Initiative, Mr Yusuf Adeyemo, described the development as a welcome and overdue intervention.
According to him, Nigeria loses more than $700 million annually to export rejections linked to pesticide residues, aflatoxins, poor traceability and non-compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards.
“The real issue is not production volume but quality assurance at the farm gate.
“With political will, inter-agency collaboration and private sector participation, the situation can be reversed within 24 months,” he said.
Adeyemo urged the government to establish farm-level compliance hubs and zonal laboratories for testing pesticide residues, aflatoxins and heavy metals.
He also advocated traceability systems for priority export crops such as cashew, sesame, ginger and hibiscus, alongside large-scale farmer training on approved agrochemicals, post-harvest handling and drying methods.
According to him, dedicated export desks at ports and private sector-led certification processes will further reduce delays and improve compliance.
Adeyemo said successful implementation of the measures would increase export earnings, create jobs, improve farmers’ incomes and strengthen Nigeria’s reputation in global agricultural trade.
Also speaking, an agriculture analyst and Co-founder of Corporate Farmers International, Mr Akin Alabi, said inadequate quality control had remained a major challenge to the acceptance of Nigerian agricultural produce abroad.
Alabi noted that many food exports from Nigeria had faced rejection in markets with strict regulatory standards due to quality-related concerns.
He said the ministry’s initiative would help align local production practices with international requirements and improve market access for Nigerian products.
According to him, increased investment in agricultural processing and value addition is necessary to enhance the competitiveness of Nigerian exports.
“It is difficult to export raw food products successfully, but with proper processing and quality control, we can achieve better results and attract more foreign investment,” he said.
An agriculture expert and farmer, Mr Omotunde Banjoko, also described the initiative as timely, noting that chemical residues in food products had contributed significantly to export rejections.
Banjoko urged the government to encourage safer and more sustainable farming practices, including biological methods of weed and pest control.
He said effective implementation of the initiative would boost agricultural exports, increase foreign exchange earnings, encourage production and strengthen bilateral trade relations.
“It is a good initiative. If pursued to a logical conclusion, it will benefit farmers, improve industry earnings and contribute positively to the economy,” he said. NAN