Nigeria to export yams to EU

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With the achievements so far recorded in the production of root and tuber crops through improved varieties, Nigeria may soon maximise its position as the world's number one producer of cassava, yams and cocoyams by exporting the crops.

Already, arrangements have been concluded to commence the exportation of yams to the European Union (EU) with expected foreign exchange earning of $200 million from the tuber crop, which production volume currently stands at 32 metric tonnes per annum.

This was made known by the Executive Director of the National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, Dr Kenneth Nwosu, during the opening ceremony of 2009 annual research review and planning workshop of the institute.
He said the export of yam tubers to the EU would be realised with the collaboration of NRCRI with Nasarawa State government and a United Kingdom-based company.

This programme may turn out to be the saving grace in insulating Nigeria from the global economic melt down as close to $200 million trade could be created, Nwosu said.

The NRCRI boss, who was reviewing the highlights of the institute's achievements, said it has substantially contributed to the national food security and food sufficiency through its agricultural research and extension activities on root and tuber crops. According to him, outstanding achievements have been recorded in that Nigeria still remains the global number one producer of cassava, yam and cocoyam with a total annual production of 45, 32 and five million metric tons respectively.

Technologies developed at the institute have contributed immensely in placing Nigeria at this global level, Nwosu noted, adding that with the recent government positive intervention in funding agricultural research, production of these crops are expected to double by the year 2020.

In his address the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mrs. Fidelia Akuabata Njeze, said the ministry was highly pleased at the country's number one position in the world in cassava, yam and cocoyam production, which is largely due to the aggressive research and extension efforts of this institute.

Njeze, whose address was read by the deputy director in the ministry, Dr Parry Nyandati, equally expressed special interest in the breakthrough made by NRCRI in the development of high yielding and disease-resistant cassava and yam varieties.

It is a known fact that many of our farmers do not get adequate reward for their efforts because of low yielding disease prone traditional varieties which they are using. Your effort to replace the traditional varieties with high yielding disease resistant ones is therefore commendable, Njeze said.