The Senate Deputy Whip, Francis
Alimikhena, at Thursday’s legislative proceedings drew the attention of the
Senate to the ban on some of Nigeria’s agricultural products by the European
Union (EU).
The products banned by the EU
till June 2016 are beans, sesame seeds, dried fish, dried meat, peanut chips
and palm oil.
According to the Deputy Chief
Whip, the ban was because the products contains high level of pesticides which
is harmful when consumed.
He said: “In 2013, 24
agro-products of Nigerian origin exported to the UK were rejected, while the
figure increased to 42 in 2014.”
Mr Alimmikhena added that the
beans were found to contain between 0.03mg kilograms to 4.6mg /kg of dichlorvos
(pesticides) contrary to acceptable limits.
The ban on the agricultural
exports by the EU suggests that Nigeria’s unfavourable balance of trade
position with European countries will worsen, as Nigeria would be exporting
fewer agricultural products.
Lawmakers also blamed food and
agricultural agencies in Nigeria for failing to properly standardize food
crops.
The Senate has however directed
the National Agency for Food and Drug Administeration and Control (NAFDAC), the
Ministry of Health and the Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON) to be alive
in its regulatory duties over food and agricultural products.
Credit: Channels TV
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