Mu’azu Shehu
The Federal Government has stepped up efforts to bridge demand gap of 1.1 million metric tonnes of onion due to produce quality resulting from poor management of pests and diseases in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mrs Ernest Umakhihe, stated this at a two-day workshop on Management of Onion Purple Blotch ‘ Dan- Zazzalau’ Fungal Disease’ organised by the ministry under Horticulture Programmes in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.
He said,” It is…sad to note that though Nigeria rated as major producer of onion in Africa, contributes little to the export market largely due to produce quality resulting from poor management of pests and diseases, and use of pesticides causing food- borne illnesses.
“The national output as at 2018/2019 was 1.4 million metric tones, while national demand is 2.5 million metric tones, with demand gap of 1.1 million metric tones to be bridged by importation of onion and other products estimated at N3 million metric tone between 2015 to 2018.
“This is twice the country’s annual production; exerting enormous pressure on our foreign exchange earnings.”
Umakhihe, represented by the Acting Deputy Director in the ministry, Mrs Agbani Omotosho, emphasised that the workshop among other strategies was key element in ensuring increase in agricultural productivity as a tool for developing the spice and vegetable industry in the country.
“This workshop is aimed at imparting the required knowledge and develops skills of our state level technical officers on various strategies and management practices for the control of onion purple blotch and other diseases with emphasis on use of environmental friendly technology,” she said.
She said that the seasoned and experienced professional had been invited to instruct ams guide the workshop.
“It is hoped that participants will fully utilise this opportunity to acquire the needed skills and knowledge in tackling the challenges posed by the disease and train others, both in the public and private sectors in your various States,”Umakhihe said.
The permanent secretary urged the participants to take advantage of the opportunity once again.
In his remark, the Director of federal ministry of agriculture in the state, Alhaji Abdullahi Shehu,said that the federal government had taken steps to address the fluctuating and instability price of the onion by establishing a processing control unit in the state.
“This is where farmers will take all the vegetable, not only union, for processing in the warehouse and take them out of the country.
“If it comes into operation, the price of the onion will be controlled, and the farmers will have good quality of products and will bring good quality of money,” he said.
Also speaking, Alhaji Aliyu Isah, the National President of National Onion Producers, Processors and Marketers Association of Nigeria (NOPPMAN), said the programme was long- overdue because it was on record that there was outbreak of purple blotch disease in 2019.
“The disease destroyed our onion valued at more than N3 billion which resulted to a debate even in the National Assembly.
“The resolution was taken and transmitted to the federal ministry of agriculture and rural development which initiated the training as a result,” he said.
The pests and disease control kits have also been distributed to the representatives of onion farmers from Sokoto and Kebbi states.