By Dipo Olowookere
The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has developed codes of practice for some Nigerian non-oil commodities to shore up export of the products.
This, it said, was part of its determination to promote the economic diversification agenda of the present administration.
At the National Congress of the Nigerian Association of Small Scale Industrialists (NASSI) held in Abuja on Tuesday, SON’s Acting Director General, Dr Paul Angya, disclosed that since January 2016, it has “identified about 15 priority agricultural products for which it has developed standards and codes of practice to enable our farmers and dealers in commodities produce for export.”
Dr Angya further stated that with the new system, there would be an end to the rejection of some commodities from Nigeria in the international market over issues of quality, as in the recent case of the ban placed on beans.
The SON boss reiterated his agency’s commitment in advancing the cause of small businesses in the country.
On his part, President of NASSI, Engr. Ezekiel Essien, said Nigeria’s agricultural produce are in high demands in the United State, China, Russia, India, the EU and other countries as long as they meet international standard.
He said effort must be scaled up towards ensuring that agriculture produce are safe for local consumption and export purposes as well.
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