Institute proffers solution to food export

The Nigeria Institute of Food Science and Technology, NIFST, yesterday warned farmers against using fertiliser, pesticides, herbicides on produce for export.
The Chairman, Lagos Chapter of the institute, Sunday Bamgbose, made the appeal in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Lagos.
Mr. Bamgbose said that the era of pesticide, herbicide and fertiliser applications in large quantity was over.
According to him, it was time farmers in the country adhere to modern agricultural practices to benefit from food export.
“The food value chain undergoes various processes and if not properly managed can cause a lot of damage or losses to the farmer.
“The rejection of Nigerian yams recently was as a result of the loopholes that existed in the technical aspect of the food value chain.
“In yam exportation, the packaging, mode of transportation, good temperature, among others, is considered.
“The recent development is unpleasant news because it is a negative publicity for the country.
“There is need to do the appropriate thing by involving those vast in the technical aspect of food exportation,” he said.