That yam export policy

IN pursuit of its policy of diversification from a monocultural economy, the Federal Government has strenuously tried to justify its planned exportation of yams, one of the staple food items in the country, lately. The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, latches onto every opportunity during public appearances to underscore the initiative. He has stated that the government hopes to earn about $8 billion as foreign exchange yearly from the exportation of yams.  He said on one occasion: “Oil and gas cannot employ millions of people  like agriculture, so we must work hard to move from oil to earning foreign exchange from agriculture.’’

Ogheh further said that the initiative became imperative because some persons had indeed been exporting yams illegally through Nigeria’s borders, branding them in the colours of other countries. Above all,  he said, the government believed that given the current huge scale of production in the country, the exportation of  yams would not trigger any discernible or real repercussions on local consumption and the price index. However, it may take some time for Nigerians to key into the government’s vision and mission on the policy, if  they ever will. The policy, to a large extent, is akin to putting the cart before the horse. Government ought to have taken more pragmatic steps towards adding value to the yams produced in ‘abundance’ towards achieving serious economic growth at home while at the same time maximising comparative advantage at the international market.

The value added would have placed the country in a vantage position to make more gains via exportation of the finished and semi-finished products of yam. It would have facilitated the creation of employment, expansion of the capacity of local industries and increment in the number of agro-allied industries. The derivatives from yam constitute an integral part of the basic needs and raw materials for local industries, especially the pharmaceutical and beverage industries. It is a fact that the finished products of a particular industry can serve as raw material or ingredients for another industry.  Thus, the government, through its latest policy, might wittingly or otherwise be endangering a number of agro-allied industries, especially those producing yam flour and other products, as the prices of yam would be at the whims and caprices of the chains of middlemen with a Shylock mentality.

In any case, the fact that the government could consistently lament the porous state of the country’s borders without solving the problem offends the sensibility of Nigerians. Such lamentations epitomize helplessness on the part of the authorities whose primary duty is to secure life  and property.  Therefore, however laudable its initiative in yam exportation appears to be, we strongly believe that the government ought to take measures aimed at protecting local industries, while at the same guaranteeing national food security beyond any iota of doubt. Even now, many of the raw materials, especially seasonal food items like maize, yams and fruits, are inadequate for local industries because they are used as staples.

Moreover, the current predicament of small, medium and large-scale investors whose main raw material is maize makes the apprehension of most Nigerians about the yam export policy more real than imaginary. Many have been forced out of business while the few who remain are gasping for breath because of the short supply of the item, coupled with the exorbitant prices. In this connection, the government must discountenance public fears on the yam export policy, while it steps up the implementation of its economic diversification agenda.  But more importantly, it should only create the enabling environment for yam exportation. Its direct involvement in the venture would be nothing but a return to the inglorious era of business as usual and massive corruption.