By Omotayo Edubi
The Chief Executive, Agricultural and Rural Management Institute (ARMTI), Dr Olufemi Oladunni on Monday, has called for increase in oil seeds production volume while admitting that a lot is required to raise the national oil seeds production volume.
In a statement made available to reporters, Oladunni mentioned that a key component of improving production, is to give smallholders better access to high-yielding seeds. He posited that there are plenty of business opportunities across domestic, regional and international markets, for oil seed farmers.
He added that farmers face considerable challenges in modernizing the industry to increase yields, exports and value-added processing.
He urged for wide-reaching efforts to see production levels of key crops return to growth in the coming years, helping boost value-added processing in the sector.
Nigeria could supposedly have a mixed affluence on grains and oilseeds exports this year with required rainfall hindering the oilseed planting pace.
Exporters are already Lamenting that increasing container freights would push the overall cost of commodities in the international markets, making cargoes from Nigeria less competitive. The top export destinations were China, Japan and India. According to analysts, poor farming practices is one of the major reasons Nigerian exports don’t make it to international markets.
Statistical data from the International Trade Centre (ITC) revealed that Nigeria export of oil seeds and oleaginous fruits; miscellaneous grains, seeds and fruit; industrial or medicinal stood at $343,102 in 2020. In 2016, the value was $122,816.The value rose to $182,001 in 2017, $274,515 in 2018, and $300,098 in 2019.
Globally, export trade in oil seeds and oleaginous fruits hit $110,336,492 in last year from 89,711,926 in 2016. The value was $ 98,137,776 in 2017 and $ 100,439,001 in 2018 and $96,632,722.
Agribusiness & Youth Empowerment Coordinator, Community of Agricultural Stakeholders of Nigeria (CASON),Sotonye Anga, noted that incessant attacks and killings by terrorists, bandits, and armed robbers have taken a serious toll on oil seed farming. He posited that farmers were afraid that they could be killed in large numbers by rampaging bandits.