Sona Group Tasks FG on Self-Sufficiency in Food Production

Ugo Aliogo and Esther Ehoche

The Chairman, Sona Group, Mr. Arjan Mirchandani, has charged the federal government on the need for self-sufficiency in food production, stating that there is need for the Nigeria economy to tap into the vast opportunities in the Africa food market.

Mirchandani who disclosed this recently in Lagos at the Food West Africa 2018, noted that the future of Africa is based self-sufficiency, locally made products and the Nigeria market is not an exemption.

He also noted that the distribution chain in the market is expensive with importation taking large chunk of it, therefore he noted that by embarking local production of products, they are able to cut cost and export, “which on the long run lifts the standards of Nigeria products and enhance growth in the industry.”

Mirchandani further noted that the versatility of the average Nigerian is a key factor in relating with the market system, adding that “Nigerians are very innovative and courageous with great potentials and these traits are clearly seen in how we maintain a lead role in a highly competitive business environment.”

The Chief Operating Officer of Sona Group, Mr. Ashok Manghnani, said the situation of the Nigerian market is changing with expansion being a vital aspect in this changing economy, stating that they are expanding at a rate of 100 percent yearly and their capacity is increasing and “operation is on a higher level and this is evident in our impact on the economy.”

The Group was represented at the 2018 edition of Food West Africa by their major subsidiaries; Euro Global Food and Distilleries, makers of Maltonic, Sabrina, Sona Bitters, Sona Agro-Allied Foods Limited, focused on confectionaries and Food, Agro and Allied Industries, focused on natural extracts such as sorghum brewing, malt extracts, glucose extracts and others.