By Philomina Attah
Abuja – The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) says the organisation will partners with the Federal Government to ensure that agricultural produce from the country meet international standard.
Mr Simeon Umukoro, Technical Expert Coordinator, National Quality Infrastructure Project, UNIDO, stated this in Abuja on Thursday at the Committee’s meeting on Zero Reject of Agricultural Commodities and Non-Oil Exports in Nigeria.
The theme of the meeting was “Commodities Value Chains Gaps Analysis.’’
Umukoro said that the essence of the meeting was to move the country’s agriculture forward by ensuring quality control for all producing countries.
“The best practice for any country that is producing is to ensure quality of its products.
“Nigeria does not have quality policy. Quality policy gives drive to institution that operates.
“Nigeria has Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) but can its citizen confirm access to satisfaction in terms of standard?
“Our product suffers in the market because of lack of conformity assessment testing certification inspection global best practice,’’ he said.
UNIDO’s official said the outcome of the meeting would complement the standard operation procedure of Nigeria exportable commodities to the European Union and adoption of accepted methodology of the conduct of excellence.
He said that UNIDO would support the Federal Government in promoting a systematic approach to quality infrastructure in alignment with private sector needs.
NAN recalls that the committee on Zero Reject of Agricultural Commodities and Non-Oil Exports in Nigeria was inaugurated by the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh, in August.
The committee was to address the ban of Nigeria dried beans to the European markets.
The committee came up with a five years action plan towards adopting a methodology to Nigeria’s Zero Reject Methodology for agric-commodity export.
Members of the committee included the Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Ministry of Mines and Steel, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, SON and NAFDAC.
