Hibiscus exports to fetch Nigeria $3bn annually, says NAQS
By Onome Amuge
Nigeria is expected to earn about $3 billion annually from hibiscus exports to Mexico backed by a phytosanitary protocol signed recently by the Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) and its Mexican counterpart body, SENASICA, to stabilise and grow the export of Nigerian hibiscus flowers (zobo) to Mexico.
Vincent Isegbe, comptroller general,NAQS, disclosed this while speaking at the 4th Comptroller General’s Summit and Management Retreat in Abuja. According to him, the framework was designed to future-proof bilateral trade in hibiscus between Nigeria and the largest importer of Nigerian hibiscus against avoidable disruptions.
Isegbe, who described hibiscus as a metaphor for the countless high-value exportable agro-commodities, which Nigeria underutilise and take for granted, noted that notwithstanding the challenges associated with the export of agricultural produce, agro-export intensification would help Nigeria to boost its overall agricultural productivity.
He further assured that agriculture has the capacity to generate sustainable wealth, and improve household incomes among the large swath of the 70 per cent population that is engaged in agriculture and agro-allied industries.
In his remarks on the rejection of agro-exports from Nigeria recently, he disclosed that some exported hibiscus produce were rejected in the U.S because the exporter had no certification.
“He did not carry any document, did not pass through the quarantine service and those consignments have been returned. We have intercepted the consignments; we are looking for who the owner is and the person is yet to report,” he added.
On how the agency is making efforts towards curbing illegal exportation and rejection of agricultural produce, he said NAQS recently met with the freight forwarders association to urge the council to ensure that all agents who deal with the quarantine service are registered by the council.
“This is to avoid fake clearing and forwarding agents, who may not necessarily inform the original owners or exporters of those products,” he explained.
Isegbe further disclosed that the service is currently working to democratise the involvement of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in agro-export activities under its Export Improvement Initiative and Export Certification value chains.
He noted that majority of the farmers reside in rural areas and eke out their subsistence in the low returns of the local market. He pointed out that many of them are unaware of their right to access the ECOWAS and African Continental Free Trade Area markets and know little or nothing about export standards.
“They don’t consider themselves qualified to export because they presume that only the rich and the affluent can export,” he said.
Isegbe assured that the NAQS is working to overcome this challenge of the ‘last mile’ by targeting grassroots farmers, off takers, and processors.