By Dipo Olowookere
A new dawn in the Nigerian food export has come today, Thursday, June 29, 2017 with the export of a total of 72 metric tons of yam from Nigeria to Europe and the United States.
This is expected to increase foreign exchange earnings of the country.
It is believed that Nigeria can make about $8 billion every year from the exportation of yams to foreign markets.
Despite this, there had been concerns recently with the Federal Government’s new programme on yam export that the commodity would be scarce in the country.
Nigerians claimed the country was not ripe enough to begin exporting yams to other countries because yams produced locally were not enough to meet the demands of citizens.
But the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr Audu Ogbeh, erased such fears, saying “Over 30 percent of the yams we produce in Nigeria rot away. Export therefore provides opportunities to earn foreign exchange and produce more yams.”
As the total of 72 metric tons of yam leaves the shores of Nigeria to Europe and the US today, there is excitement at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development because the diversification agenda of the present administration through agriculture was already yielding good results.
Adedapo Adesanya