By Stellamaris | Anambra
The Managing Director of Davidola Farms, Segun Alabi, has said Nigeria loses between 45 and 50 per cent of its agricultural produce every year to post-harvest losses, largely because of inadequate storage infrastructure and processing facilities.
Alabi said on Monday that Nigeria can make greater economic gains from agriculture by investing more in food processing, storage, transportation and other supporting infrastructure, rather than concentrating mainly on primary production.
Speaking at a news conference in Abuja to mark the company’s 10th anniversary, the agribusiness entrepreneur said inadequate infrastructure was undermining farmers’ incomes, employment opportunities and Nigeria’s potential to earn foreign exchange from agricultural exports.
Using pineapple production as an example, he estimated that Nigeria produces about 1.6 million tonnes annually. He warned that losing 45 per cent of that output is a substantial economic waste. He said the country’s problem today is not primary production but infrastructure, adding that more than 45 to 50 per cent of what Nigeria produces is lost every year.
According to him, improved infrastructure would enable farmers to move their produce to processing factories and markets, reduce wastage and create more economic opportunities through manufacturing. He argued that food security would remain difficult to achieve if the country continued to lose a significant proportion of what it already produces.
Alabi disclosed that his company is pursuing a pineapple value-chain development strategy. It includes producing pineapple concentrate, canned and freeze-dried pineapple, and bromelain, an enzyme derived from pineapple waste. He said the company also plans to convert processing waste into renewable energy as part of its ambition to achieve zero-waste production. He added that it is developing an out-grower partnership programme to connect more farmers with technical assistance, reliable markets and opportunities to expand their businesses.
He asked the Federal Government to create a more enabling business environment, improve infrastructure and increase budgetary allocations to agriculture. He said more agricultural funding was necessary to match the country’s growing population and rising demand for food.
He also called for stronger measures to ensure the safety and traceability of agricultural produce, particularly amid concerns about the misuse of chemicals and the possible rejection of Nigerian food products in international markets. He disclosed that the company had conducted laboratory tests on its pineapple produce to determine chemical residues, as part of efforts to obtain certification for its farming operations.
According to him, the company also plans to set up a laboratory at its proposed processing factory to test produce and strengthen quality assurance. He urged food processors and manufacturers to verify the sources of their raw materials, stressing that traceability was essential to consumer safety and international market acceptance.”If you can’t trace it, don’t taste it,” he said, describing the expression as a principle the company intends to promote in its agricultural operations.
The entrepreneur said the company’s ambition was to build a Nigerian agricultural business able to supply processed pineapple products to international markets, including Europe, America, Canada and Australia. He identified financing for processing facilities, farmer support, infrastructure development and access to markets as areas that need collaboration among government, financial institutions, development partners and private investors.
