Nigeria Can Generate N151bn From Onion Farming Annually -Group

The Onion Producers and Marketers Association of Nigeria (OPMAN) says that the country could generate about $420 million (about N151 billion) annually from onion cultivation.
OPMAN’s Secretary-General, Mr Aliyu Maitasamu, said this at the 2019 General Assembly of Regional Observatory of Onion Sector in West and Central Africa, in Sokoto.
According to him, Nigeria cultivates 1.1 million tonnes, out of the 2.5 million tonnes being demanded in West Africa.
He said that the existing deficit of oil production was about 1.4 billion tonnes in Nigeria, adding that if the country maximised its full potential in onion production, it could generate up to $420 million every year.
The secretary-general noted that Nigeria was the sixth major onion producer in the world, second in Africa and first in West Africa.
According to him, onion farmers are faced with storage challenges, noting that about 60 percent of onions harvested are lost due to poor storage system.
Maitasamu appealed to federal and state governments to construct modern storage facilities, provide more markets, educate farmers on enhanced production techniques and provide improved seedlings.
He noted that Sokoto was the highest onion producing state, with 169,300 tonnes annually, followed by Adamawa and Kebbi.