The Executive Director/CEO, Nigerian Export Promotion Council,(NEPC) Mr. Segun Awolowo has said that improvement in quality of honey produced in Nigeria is capable of generating at least $10 billion annually from the trading of honey and its by-products.
Representing the CEO, Assistant Chief Trading Officer, Mrs Onu Leticia while speaking at a one-day capacity building workshop on improving the quality of Nigerian honey and its by-products in Nassarawa stated that improvement of quality, compliance of food safety standards and fulfilment of 3rd country Listing Certification to ease market access will make Nigeria achieve earn the feat.
“Industry experts posits that Nigeria is capable of generating at least $10 billion annually from the trading of honey and beehive products if there is an improvement of quality”.
Mr. Segun further noted that Nigeria honey remain dormant as most beekeepers in the rural areas still engages the use of outdated techniques in production couple with absence of necessary legislation guiding honey production, quality assurance and trade.
He opined that action is needed to stimulate the apiculture subsector with regard to opening up of domestic, regional and international market
Mr. Segun however assured that through the NEPC, in the next few years, honey production in Nigeria will not only be able to meet local demand, but the country will be able to export honey in substantial quantities to the European Union, America and other countries, apart from those in West Africa sub-region.
He added that to achieve this feat, the NEPC has put up series of activities aimed at enhancing know-how and skills of honey value chain actors to produce quality honey for the global market.
Managing Director, NICERT LTD, Annabel Kamuche on her part noted that the Africa Free Trade Agreement can be counterproductive for Nigeria as especially for people in the Apiculture space if Nigeria refuses improve on the quality, standard and compliance to meet international standards of her products and other honey by-product that we have within the Nigeria space today.
Kamuche however opined that it is time stakeholders in the Apiculture subsector begin to comply with international standards in terms of residual level, and other kind of compliance so as to able to compete with products that are coming from other parts of the world to ensure that our product is competitive and acceptable globally.
Trade Promotion Advisory Head, Lafia Export Assistant Officer, Mrs Amina Tumba noted that the workshop aim at providing beekeepers on how to learn and improve the quality of honey to meet international best practices through confirming and certification through best practices with modern processing and production for honey to get more value leading to higher price produce which will in turn boost Nigeria’s price export.