Stakeholders in the agro export value chain have called for concerted efforts to address the logistics barrier and rejection of agro export products from Nigeria.
The impact of these, they say is huge on the nation’s economy.
Concerned about huge revenue lost to the rejection of Nigeria’s export produce abroad, stakeholders in the agro export eco-system recently converged on Lagos at CHINET Aviacargo conference to discuss and share ideas on how to halt the trend and also take a look at, ‘Unlocking the logistics barrier to improve agro products exports’ which was the theme.
Statistics presented by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC, revealed that the country’s non-oil products, in volume and value terms exported in the first half of 2023, stood at 3,944,344.17 metric tonnes and $2.539 million which unfortunately, showed a slight decrease of 0.09% against the recorded figure of US$ 2.593 billion for the first-half of the year 2022.
According to stakeholders, export of agro products is money -spinning business if fully harnessed.
AviaCargo Roadmap coordinator, Mr. Ikechi Uko is of the view that something is missing that Nigeria’s agro exporters are not doing right to grow the business.
“We have many experts in Nigeria, we have lots of money in Nigeria, we have lots of resources in Nigeria but we have not been able to get certain things right. What has been missing is the will power and the resolve to bring together these variables into a workable mix”.
Two stakeholders, Captain Kenneth Wamambo and John Ekeanya say, the major challenge now is the logistics barrier.
“There are mainly plants, micro organisms and animals are the crude crops, plantain, banana, coconuts, yam, etc. Live stocks , poultry, goats rearing, cows and we also dairy which is milk. We are sitting here thinking we are exporting, we should look at a better way of making our agro produce successful, sustainable”.
“Insecurity, storage facilities, we need to acquire trucks, logistics is about transport”.
While some of the agro products are moved by road and exported through the neighboring countries and tagged as coming from those countries, stakeholder say such a development is an indication that something, perhaps in terms of policy and infrastructure, needs to be worked on.
“Our attention has been wrongly directed, where the money is, is actually in cargo all over the world because when you do the right thing, it will give you what you want. Am very optimistic and hopeful of the potential of Nigeria, the potential is there for everyone to see”.
According to them, the impacts of the lapses have been low foreign exchange for the exporters, trade deficiencies for the country resulting in poor balance of trade, poor image of the country in the international community and low gross domestic product of the country.
Mr. Anny Chigbo and Ikechi Ogo of Enpower Free Trade Zone, Enugu, appealed to government not only to fix the roads but also in the provision of trucks and equipping the Free Trade Zone areas.
“So that these goods can move because they can’t afford to pay for transportation, when you help the farmers, it reduces the cost for them and traceability is number one, certification both from Nigeria, NAFDAC and other agencies to the international agencies”.
“There is a need for refrigeration, there is a need to refrigerate what we send out”.
Apart from this, other stakeholders list impediments to increased agro export growth and rejection abroad to include non-certification, poor packaging, use of harmful pesticides, inadequate information on the requirements from the country of trade and inadequate logistics among others.
“We just need a little bit of seriousness, we know it can be done.
The Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, Kabir Mohammed said, FAAN needs the partnership of the private sector to provide the necessary infrastructure that will make these Airports truly cargo facilitating airports.
Represented by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, FAAN, Alhaji Abdullahi Yakubu-Funtua, Mr. Kabir emphasized that, the agency is highly committed to being a big player in this money spinning business.
“Avia-cargo is a big business that combines speed and efficiency in delivery”. We must export more than we import”.
They urge every stakeholder in the export value chain to collaborate in ensuring that export trade meets the requirements of the country’s trading partner in terms of quality, standards and quantity.