Nigeria plans to export fresh vegetables worth US$10M in 2013, partly through increased production of such produce as tomatoes, carrots, cucumbers, government official says

Nevin Barich

CAPE TOWN, South Africa , May 27, 2013 (AllAfrica) – The Federal Government plans to export fresh vegetables worth $10 million in 2013, Mr. Mike Kanu, Deputy Director, Horticulture in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, has said. Kanu said this in Umuahia at the commencement of the distribution of two tonnes of telferia seeds to selected farmers in Abia.

He said that the Federal Government was poised to transform the horticulture value chain as well as promote the sale of perishable goods from Nigeria in the international market.

"Federal Ministry of Agriculture through the horticulture value chain called for the list of vegetable farmers producers of especially telferia, which is popularly known as 'Ugu'.

This vegetable is one of those vegetables that are in high demand outside Nigeria. And based on its importance in the entire economy especially in health, providing the necessary vitamins and also as a major source of income to some major states in Nigeria.

The Honourable Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, approved the procurement of two metric tonnes of the seeds to be distributed to some selected farmers from the five states that is Abia , Ogun ,Delta, Cross River and Imo. Something like this vegetable special attention has to be paid towards their production. We will continue to distribute subsequently after this first batch."

He said that no fewer than two hundred farmers drawn from the five states would benefit from the programme in the pilot phase. Kanu said that the farmers would be expected to establish 200 hectares of telferia farm across the country.

"The target is to market one million dollars worth of fresh produce including Ugu leaves, Okro is there, Tomato is there, Carrot is there, Cucumber is there, in 2012 that was the target set. That of 2013 is 10 million. What are the things that will make us reach this target? Production of Ugu based on global good agricultural practices that will make your produce acceptable at the international market."

Kanu said that the government was in partnership with the private sector in the initiative.

"We have what we call the Agricultural Fresh Producers Growers and Exporters Association of Nigeria (AFPGEA) with major key players like Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and the Dangote Groups. "For which the government is trying to reposition to be in a better place to ensure the export of fresh produce from Nigeria to see if we can meet what other African countries are doing with exports produce.

"Currently we know that most horticultural crops are not officially exported outside Nigeria, whereas we have better advantage to dominate the entire European market."

Kanu appealed to state governments to ensure the success of the programme in their respective states, saying that the Federal Government would not condone any act of FMBN restates commitment to provision of affordable houses

The Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria will continue to provide decent and affordable houses for Nigerians in line with Federal Government's housing policy, the Managing Director, Mr Gimba Kumo, has said. Kumo said this at a media round-table session on Thursday in Abuja by members the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the bank. He said that the revised Federal Government policy on housing for the people was designed to take care of the critical needs of different categories of Nigerians.

Speaking on the theme, "The new initiative and business focus in housing finance", Kumo said that efforts were in top gear to sensitise every Nigerian to the new focus of the bank on mortgage financing. The managing director said the bank was working in collaboration with state governments and various agencies of government to provide decent and affordable houses for all the citizens of the country. He said that there were no exceptions in the new policy, noting that Nigerians, irrespective of their status, were eligible to benefit from its packages.

In his remark, President of the NUJ, Mr Mohammed Garba, appealed to the bank to avail members of the union the opportunity to own houses.

He solicited the assistance of the bank to enable journalists own houses in the FCT and others areas. Garba said that the FCT council of the union was already floating a cooperative society to secure a mortgage facility from the bank. He said that journalists had made sacrifices for the unity and progress of the nation, stressing that they deserved decent and affordable houses for their families.

The NUJ leader said that the union would continue to support the bank in its task of providing mortgage facility for Nigerians to own decent accommodation wherever they wanted. The forum, one of numerous efforts made by the union to improve the welfare of its members, was attended many journalists and stakeholders in the housing sector.

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