The Head, Trade Promotion Adviser ,Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC),Benin Export Assistance Office, Macpherson Fred’Ileogben has described Pineapple as a potential foreign exchange earner for Nigeria,if the necessary things are done.
Fred’Ileogben made this assertion while interacting with journalists in Benin City,the Edo State capital.
He said pineapple has the potential to take over from oil as the foreign exchange earner for Nigeria if government takes necessary actions like providing funding for farmers, and exporters among other things.
According to him, countries like Ghana and Cote d’Ivore are already playing in the sector by exporting Pineapple worth of million of dollars annually,but
Nigeria is yet to do anything in that sector.
“The pineapple sector has the to be one of the biggest foreign exchange earner for Nigeria, unfortunately Nigeria is not doing anything along that side while,countries like Ghana and Cote’d Ivorie are taking advantage of the huge opportunity in that sector.
“In Edo ,we produce much quantity of pineapple, that can give Nigeria the much talked about economic diversification from oil.The challenges are that, to export, you have to know the rules,howto meet quality specifications and that is what we are doing with our people in Edo. We are sensitizing our people on the gaps,the challenges in exports. The compulsory and the non compulsory certifications, the compulsory certification are certifications like NAFDAC,SON then non compulsory certification like organic, Global etc.
“The fact is that some of these certifications are not mandatory, but they make your products acceptably in the international market. Because, sometimes you see some persons spend money and time to take goods abroad,but at the point of entrance, the product will be rejected.”
He applauded the Federal Government for approving the Edo ‘AMES Dry Inland Port(DIP), saying it is a welcome development, since the Lagos Port is already overstretched,and alternatives ports like KoKo, Warri and the Dry Inland Ports are welcome developments.He said the difficult challenge exporters are facing is funding and pleaded with the government to provide soft loan for exporters.
