Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister for Agric and Rural Devt
Processing
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, May 8, 2018 (NAN) Mr Duro Kuteyi, an industrialist, has urged the Federal Government to encourage the processing of agricultural produce for export as it will go a long way towards diversifying the Nigerian economy.
Kuteyi, a food processing expert, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.
He added that processing tomatoes would reduce wastage and spoilage.
Cue in audio (Kuteyi)
“If they are diversifying from oil to agric, fine. Then if they now get to agric and they are not encouraging food processing, then that would not go well.
“And if they now encourage food processing, then they score 100 per cent; if not they score 60 per cent.
“We want government to collaborate with us in the area of training the youth and adults on how to process tomatoes.
“So that instead of sustaining 60 per cent waste, not up to five per cent will waste; if these things are processed at the farm gate.
“Now BOI (Bank of Industry) being an arm of government, has taken it upon itself sponsoring the training of youths on tomato processing.
“This will go a long way in making the price of tomato stable throughout the year and making them available to every part of the country and export.’’
Cue out audio
Kuteyi scored the level of processing of various agricultural produce very low.
He said that the production of such produce was still unsustainable and inadequate for export. (NAN)
ACA/AJA/YEE
==========
Edited by Adeleye Ajayi/Emmanuel Yashim