Gilbert Ekugbe
Worried over the high level of rejection faced by Nigerian exports due to lack of standards and poor documentation, the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal Department of Fisheries have trained over 50 fish exporters, farmers and processors on the requisite skills to take advantage of the global fish export market.
Speaking at a technical session for fish practitioners on compliance to importing countries requirements in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, Dr. Ezra Yakusak, said that the technical session would give participants the opportunity to understand and adopt regulations of importing countries to avoid the high level of reject of Nigerian exports.
Yakusak, who was represented by the Director, Product Development Department, Mrs. Evelyn Obidike, said that the training is being conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Department of Fisheries to equip fish farmers, processors and fish exporters would expose them on the right way of exporting their products without getting their fingers burnt.
He said: “If you are exporting fish and fishery products, they have to comply with regulations of the importing countries. We are here to reach and train all the practitioners in the fish sector and we are starting with Lagos State. We want to let them know what is required of them so that they can comply and their fish would be accepted at the international market.
“This is why we have brought in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Department of Fisheries to tell them what the requirements are.”
Also speaking, the Director, Federal Department of Fisheries, Dr. Farouq Abdullahi, who was represented by the Deputy Director and Head of Quality Assurance, Lagos Liaison Office, Mrs. Oladosu Olanike, said that the programme would introduce a roadmap for compliance of exporters of fish and fishery products to adhere to global best practices. Abdullahi said: “We want a situation where Nigeria’s fish export will enter international market without rejection particularly the aquaculture products also known as cultured fish. We want to sensitise the farmers, processors and exporters to export products that will not be rejected.”
