Business
Agro Producers Want Ban On Food Imports
The Association of Small Scale Agro-Producers in Nigeria (ASSAPIN), has called on the Federal Government to put in place measures that would discourage food importation.
The National Vice-President of the association, Mr Joshua Mabinuori, made the call in an interview with newsmen yesterday in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
“It is important for Nigeria to feed herself. It is not negotiable. I think it is important that we put in place measures that would prevent food importation into this country.’’
Mabinuori said it was regrettable that government spent billions of naira to import food on a yearly basis, describing the expenditure as a colossal waste.
He added that the money could have been used to fund development projects in the agriculture sector.
Mabinuori averred that the country was blessed with abundant natural resources to boost food production and that government could launch the country on the path of greatness if it could give agriculture the attention it deserved.
“We have the climatic advantages, adequate rainfall, solar radiation; our soil is quite sustainable. How to coordinate these factors to bring out food security is the major problem in the country.
“If half of what government is spending on importation can be invested into agriculture, the result will be massive. It is unfortunate that government is not looking in that direction.
“As a matter of fact, there is food insecurity in the country. We don’t have enough food in the country and the best way to urgently address this problem is for government at all levels, to give priority to agriculture.
“Once government fails in agriculture, there is no how other sectors can survive because agriculture is the first contact with nature.”
The ASSAPIN boss, however, noted that one of the ways by which government could discourage food import was to encourage indigenous production of food through price subsidy for farmers.
“Government should buy this locally produced food from farmers at reasonable prices and push it to the market at a lower price.
“By doing this, people will be encouraged to buy and farmers will be able to sustain the business of food production and by extension, guarantee food security.”
Business
NAFDAC Decries Circulation Of Prohibited Food Items In markets …….Orders Vendors’ Immediate Cessation Of Dealings With Products
Importers, market traders, and supermarket operators have therefore, been directed to immediately cease all dealings in these items and to notify their supply chain partners to halt transactions involving prohibited products.
The agency emphasized that failure to comply will attract strict enforcement measures, including seizure and destruction of goods, suspension or revocation of operational licences, and prosecution under relevant laws.
The statement said “The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raised an alarm over the growing incidence of smuggling, sale, and distribution of regulated food products such as pasta, noodles, sugar, and tomato paste currently found in markets across the country.
“These products are expressly listed on the Federal Government’s Customs Prohibition List and are not permitted for importation”.
NAFDAC also called on other government bodies, including the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Immigration Service(NIS) Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Nigeria Shippers Council, and the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS), to collaborate in enforcing the ban on these unsafe products.
