Business
Foodstuffs Worth N84m Waste In Lagos Daily – Official
Director of Agricultural Ser
vices, Lagos State Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr Olayiwole Onasanya, has said that foodstuffs worth about N84 million were wasted daily in Lagos.
Onasanya said this in interview with newsmen in Lagos.
According to him, the wasted foodstuffs account for 40 per cent of the available foodstuffs in the area estimated at N30.6 billion annually.
“The issue is improper packaging and improper transportation. When these products get into Mile 12 or some other markets at least 40 per cent of them go to waste.
“And what do these marketers or these middlemen do? They have to recoup their costs, and how do they do it? They increase the price.
“But if there is proper transportation and proper packaging, I tell you, the price will go down.
“We have N84 million of all these produce go into waste every day. Therefore, the state government is introducing a new method of transportation and packaging in our major markets.
“We expect that out of the 40 per cent waste, we will redeem about 30 per cent.
“So what the state is doing is also to improve production even within the state and that is what we have done through different technologies.”
He attributed foodstuffs wastage and insecurity in the Northern part of the country as the major causes of the high prices of perishable foods in Lagos.
Onasanya said the state government was working on a new transport system that would assist in reducing foodstuffs wastage in the state.
Business
Kenyan Runners Dominate Berlin Marathons
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.