The Executive Director of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council, NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak says about 2,503.9 hectares of farmland have been affected with an outbreak of a strange disease ravaging ginger farms in Kaduna state, North-West, Nigeria.
Dr Ezra Yakusak, who disclosed this said this during the second annual conference on Non-oil export in Abuja Nigeria’s capital. Due to the outbreak, there has been an estimated loss of over N8 billion.
According to him, “With the outbreak of the disease, Nigeria’s non-oil export performance may experience a steep decline, except the issue is adequately addressed.
“May I stress that this is not the time for us to accommodate any minute disruption in our foreign exchange inflow, with the current state of the Naira, every single source of foreign exchange must be carefully and jealously protected.”
He called on the government to call on the federal government to declare the ginger fungi infestation as a crop pandemic and fight it with the same viciousness it fought covid- 19 pandemic to a stand still.
Speaking on the conference the NEPC boss explained that the theme of this conference year’s conference, “Building a Sustainable National Economy through Non-oil Export” was carefully chosen in view of the current economic realities of dwindling government revenues and foreign exchange deficits.
Chairman House of Representatives Committee on Commerce, Ahmed Munir who said the conference is a critical tool in exploring solutions disclosed that the house committee on commerce has strategic implementation plan which serves as its road map for the years ahead.
“The 10th Assembly is committed to ensuring efficient legislative framework that will drive a roboust climate resilient commerce and sustainably develop Nigerian economy through improved digitisation, transparency and effective data gathering in a bid to drive roboust innovation in this sector.” He said.
Also, the Director General of the Small and Medium Development Agency of Nigeria, SMEDAN, Mr Olawale Fasanya said the Agency is working on a Share Facility For Product packaging in order to ensure proper packging of goods produced in the country.
“We believe that the SME’s farm the product, they add value to the product, they can actually improve on the packaging if there are packaging hubs across the country.”
“We can not do this alone, but to demonstrate this, we already have a packaging common facility in Lagos, and before the end of the year we are expected to have one of the facility in the FCT.”
He, however, called on participants to delibate and bring up policies that will enhance non-oil export in the country.
Shakirat Sadiq
