Nigeria's agro-allied products will now enjoy high patronage at the global market as three firms-ABX World, Arik Air and Skyway Aviation Handling Company Limited (SAHCOL) have commenced export of agricultural commodities overseas. The firms are targeting to export about N52 billion worth of agro-allied products per annum.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Office of ABX World Nigeria, Captain John Okakpu, said the revolutionary project would reposition the agricultural sector in the country while boosting the supply chain involving transportation, logistics, aviation, packaging, among others that would eventually create about 20 million jobs nationwide.
He urged government to quickly develop and encourage the development of agriculture as oil and gas faces bleak future, Okakpu remarked: "We know the price of crude oil today. Nigeria is largely a mono-dimension economy focused on crude oil extract, export and import. Our banking sector is no way to be reckoned with the rest of the world. God wants to reposition Nigeria, which is the reason we are faced with the crude oil price downfall.
To bring about the required turnaround, he said that the firm has engaged top supply chains in Europe, as about 60 per cent of the agro-allied produce shall be exported to the European market; while the company would get farmers through their respective corporative societies for training on how to cultivate and produce safe and quality yields.
After the training, which would prepare them for the demands of the European and other markets, they would be certified on the supply chain processes such as the kind of pesticides to use.
