The Chief Executive Officer, Joefes Farms Limited, Joseph Okala has tasked farmers on exportation of finished farm produce to ensure sustainability of the sector.
Okala made this call in a chat with The Tide in Port Harcourt at the weekend.
He noted that the growth and sustainability of the sector would only be achieved when farmers start exporting finished farm products rather than raw materials.
According to him, “the tradition with Nigeria is to produce the food and export it raw, which they would now refine and bring back to us to buy at higher prices. That cannot help any economy to grow, rather, exporting finished products made from farm produce would be more beneficial as it is capable of developing the economy and ensuring food security.”
He called on the Nigerian government and included the private sector to invest in agriculture, which he said would add value to the sector and improve the financial base of the nation.
He, however, observed that the policy trust on agriculture was not favourable to the sector especially the small-scale farmers who are struggling to succeed in their chosen career.
Okala enjoined Nigerians to look into ways of improving the agricultural sector, put the right strategies in place and concentrate on making farming look attractive by adding value to every agricultural produce.
Tonye Nria-Dappa
