A total
of 161,285.72 metric tonnes of agricultural products were exported through Tin
Can Island Port in 2017, representing over 150 per cent increase from the
55,000 metric tonnes processed through the port in 2016.
The
Area Controller, Nigeria Customs Service, Tin Can Island Port Command, Yusuf Bashar, who disclosed this, said
that cocoa topped the list of
commodities exported through the port last year.
Bashar
listed other exported commodities to include pepper, soybean, rubber, milk, frozen shrimps, hibiscus flowers and
ginger, among others.
According
to him, cocoa bean, which was the highest exported agricultural product through
the port last year, recorded 33,294 metric tonnes followed by sesame seed and
rubber, which recorded 15,189.78 and 15,072.84 metric tonnes, respectively.
The
Deputy Controller of Customs in charge of Exports, Audu Ochuma, attributed the feat to increased participation in
agricultural activities, adding that exportation required more meticulousness
than importation.
Ochuma
expressed optimism that the volume of Nigerian export of agricultural products
would increase within 2018 because of the various incentives and encouragement
from the Federal Government.
He
said, “Over 5,000 duty-free commodities and items can
be exported to the United States of America under the African Growth and
Opportunity Act. A United States embassy official had advised us at a function
that Nigeria should concentrate on agricultural products and other specific
areas outside technology, as we have a better advantage with the former than
the latter.
“For instance, if we pursue exporting made-in-Nigeria radio,
television and other household electronics, the tendencies are that we won’t
meet the standards required by the advanced countries for now. So, it is better
we focus more on areas where we are better off than them.”
Under
the Economic Community of West African States’ Trade Liberalisation Scheme,
Ochuma said Nigeria had been exporting alcoholic beverages, milk and other
finished products to neighbouring countries, taking advantage of the zero duty
regime.
He
added that Nigeria stood a chance to benefit more from other African countries
like South Africa that made over $300m from exports to the US alone. (Punch)
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