2 weeks ago
4
Nigeria loses a whopping N50 cardinal regular to the importation of pineapples contempt producing astir 1,607,200 metric tons per annum, placing the state arsenic the eighth largest shaper of the harvest successful the world, an Agriculturist, Amb. Oluwasegun Alabi has said.
Addressing a quality league astatine the National Assembly connected Monday, August 26, Alabi said that contempt its comparative advantage, the state was importing pineapple from Ghana and Togo ranked arsenic the 13th and 16th shaper of pineapple successful the satellite by the Food and Agricultural Organisation.
He said Nigeria was lone capable to conscionable 50 per cent of its pineapple needs annually, adding that contempt the precocious request for Pineapple from Asian countries, Nigeria has not been capable to nutrient capable to conscionable the increasing planetary demand.
He said further that the pineapple being cultivated successful Nigeria does not conscionable the required modular for concern usage due to the fact that the farmers failed to comply with bully cultivation practices resulting successful subpar effect prime which makes them unsuitable for export and concern use.
Alabi, the CEO of Davidorlah Farms, stressed that pineapples are the 5th astir consumed effect successful the satellite and person a unsocial presumption successful the planetary marketplace arsenic a luxury item.
Despite the expanding planetary demand, Nigeria’s cultivation assemblage has yet to capitalise connected this accidental owed to outdated farming techniques, a deficiency of modern resources, and insufficient infrastructure.
READ ALSO: Pineapple: Farmers lament debased patronage
He said further that without due processing facilities to bundle pineapples, Nigerians cannot export value-added products specified arsenic canned pineapples and pineapple concentrated foodstuff thereby leaving the state retired of the planetary market.
In summation to its usage arsenic food, Alabi underscored the pineapple’s versatility successful producing items specified arsenic clothing, shoes, bags, disposable plates, and biofuel, alongside its galore wellness benefits. He lamented that, contempt the country’s immense fertile onshore and favourable climate, Nigeria has been incapable to presumption itself arsenic a cardinal subordinate successful the planetary pineapple market.
He said: “With vast, fertile land, Nigeria has the imaginable not lone to conscionable its home pineapple request but besides to go a starring planetary exporter. However, contempt favourable climatic conditions, Nigeria has struggled to presumption itself arsenic a cardinal subordinate successful the planetary pineapple market.
“Instead, the state continues to import pineapples and related products, missing retired connected imaginable export gross and planetary commercialized opportunities. Nigeria’s inability to capitalise connected its pineapple accumulation tin beryllium traced to respective cardinal challenges.
“We impulse the authorities to make an enabling situation that fosters concern maturation and allows the backstage assemblage to thrive. To further code the pressing contented of the nutrient information situation successful Nigeria, it is indispensable for the authorities to further prosecute the close radical successful the cultivation sector- individuals, and organisations with proven way records and a heavy knowing of the industry, who tin connection informed and strategical proposal connected however to lick these challenges with urgency”.
English (US) ·