The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), has attributed the rejection and ban of Nigeria’s farm produce for exportation to wrong use of pesticides by farmers and agricultural processors.
Executive Director/Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Dr. Ezra Yakusak, who made this known during a two-day Pesticides Management Programme for Training of Spray Service Providers (SSP) at the College of Agriculture, Yandev, Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, expressed worry over the lives of many Nigerians exposed to danger from consumption of chemicals in food.
Yakusak who was represented on the ocassion by the Trade Advisor/Head, NEPC, Makurdi Export Office, Ben Anani, noted that: “Recent studies indicate that over 70 per cent of smallholder and commercial farms in Nigeria use pesticides as control measures to prevent insects and pest attack on their crops.
“A greater percentage of this is applied at post-harvest level during storage in warehouses prior to export. More so, the farmers and processors have no formal training or guidance on the safe use and appropriate application of pesticides.”
He posited that inadequate application of pesticides has market implications aside from direct contamination of soil and posing of risk to the ecosystem.
“Pesticides residues above recommended permissible levels not only endanger human health and lead to concerns about food safety but also seriously affect the export market of agricultural products.
“The continued ban and rejection of Nigerian agricultural produce from the European Union (EU) and other export market destinations is of grave concern to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council NEPC.
“Our agricultural products meant for export markets are facing challenges of rejections at the border control points due to the presence of contaminants such as pesticides residues, mostly dichlorvos and other impurities exceeding maximum permissible residual limit,” he added.
According to him, in Nigeria, like in some developing countries, the technical consideration for safe and correct application of pesticides and herbicides are often neglected, unknown or not regulated, pointing out that the World Trade Organisation (WTO) recommends that the use of pesticides in crop production, both for domestic consumption and for export, should comply with good agricultural practices guidelines during primary production.
On solutions, Yakusak identified training of contract spray service providers certified to carry out pesticide applications in farms and agricultural commodities targeted for export as a key component of the risk management measures in the pesticides control system.
The NEPC boss, however, urged relevant authorities involved in food safety and international trade in the agri-food sector to develop a practical and workable solution to sensitise and educate value-chain stakeholders on good agricultural practices and food safety measures prior to export.
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