The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has assured Nigerians that “There is no need to panic about the possible non-availability of yams for local consumption” as export begins.
According to the Minister, “There has never been shortage of yams in Nigeria. over 30% of the yams we produce rot away. Export therefore provides opportunities to earn foreign exchange and produce more yams.
“If nearby Ghana that does not grow anywhere near one tenth of the yams we grow is targeting USD4bn in yam exports, we can do better.
“The export of Nigerian yams is not new. It has just been going on through other ports and largely unaccounted for, due to sharp practices”.
Meanwhile, all is now set for Nigeria to formally flag off export of yam to Europe on Thursday, June 29, 2017.
Briefing Journalists after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, the Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh, said 72 tonnes will be exported in the first phase of the programme to the United Kingdom.
The minister said while Thursday’s event is the formal take off of the programme, some tonnes of yam that were exported earlier arrived New York on June 16, 2017.
Quoting statistics from the Food and Agricultural Organisation ( FAO), Ogbeh said: “Nigeria accounts for 61 per cent of total yam output in the world.”
