Plans are on course by the Federal Government to address the constant rejection of Nigeria’s agricultural products at the international market.
Chairman and Chief Executive of the National Quality Council (NQC), Osita Aboloma, who stated this Thursday in Abuja, explained that with the establishment of the National Quality Council (NQC), measures to promote enhanced development, harmonization and rationalization of Nigeria’s Quality Infrastructure have been put in place.
Aboloma said the various legs of the quality infrastructure, namely standards development, metrology, conformity assessment and accreditation require urgent harmonization and rationalization have been put in place.
These measures, according to the NQC helmsman, would ensure cost effectiveness and efficiency in support of the acceptance of Nigeria’s export products around the world.
He said sanitary and phytosanitary requirements are some of the key issues that need to be addressed to avoid constant rejects.
The SPS requirements include quarantine and biosecurity measures applied to protect human, animal and plant life or health risks arising from the introduction, establishment and spread of pests, diseases as well as from the use of additives, toxins and contaminants in food and feed.
He stressed the need for greater synergy amongst organizations and institutions in the public and private sectors, hosting the National Quality Infrastructure as well as greater awareness creation for operators along the export value chain.