FG INAUGURATES TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP TO TACKLE AGRIC EXPORT REJECTIONS OVER RESIDUE LIMITS<\/p>\n
The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural commodities due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements<\/p>\n
At the Inauguration ceremony held in the Ministry today, the Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Sen. Aliyu Abdullahi described the move as \u201canother significant milestone in the Federal Government\u2019s commitment to ensuring food safety and strengthening Nigeria\u2019s competitiveness in regional and international agricultural markets.\u201d<\/p>\n
He stated that the establishment of the TWG aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu which demands that Nigerian agricultural products \u201cnot only meet production targets but also comply with internationally accepted food safety and quality standards.”<\/p>\n
In a statement, the Ministry’s Head of Information, Ezeaja Ikemefuna disclosed that the Minister noted that \u201cover the years, Nigeria has recorded several cases of export rejections of agricultural commodities due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements.\u201d<\/p>\n
These rejections, Sen Abdullahi said, have resulted in economic losses, reduced market confidence, and missed opportunities for farmers, exporters, and agribusinesses.<\/p>\n
He added that \u201cthe growing concerns over pesticide residues, contaminants, and food safety issues demand a coordinated, science-based, and multi-sectoral response. This underscores the necessity for establishing this Technical Working Group.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to him, the TWG will serve as \u201ca strategic platform for bringing together experts from government institutions, regulatory agencies, academia, research institutions, the private sector, commodity associations, and development partners to address challenges relating to agricultural produce residue standards in Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n
Addressing the newly inaugurated members, the Minister stated further that their selection was a recognition of expertise, experience, and commitment to advancing Nigeria\u2019s agricultural sector.<\/p>\n
He charged them to develop practical, implementable, and sustainable solutions that will strengthen national food control systems, improve farmer compliance with safe pesticide use practices, and support access to premium markets for Nigerian agricultural products, adding that the recommendations should be evidence-based, inclusive, and aligned with global best practices while taking into account local realities.<\/p>\n
Sen. Abdullahi highlighted that the work of the TWG will safeguard public health, improve the quality and safety of Nigerian agricultural produce, increase export earnings, and reduce post-harvest losses associated with market restrictions.<\/p>\n
The Permanent Secretary, Dr. Marcus Olaniyi Ogunbiyi, represented by the Director, Federal Department of Agriculture, Mr. Bukar Musa noted that agriculture remains \u201ca critical pillar of Nigeria\u2019s economy, contributing significantly to food security, employment generation, foreign exchange earnings, and rural development.\u201d<\/p>\n
He warned that the increasing rejection of Nigerian agricultural exports due to non-compliance with international residue standards \u201cposes a serious challenge to our export aspirations and threatens the livelihoods of our farmers and agribusiness operators.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Permanent Secretary noted the diverse expertise within the TWG, describing the inauguration as \u201cthe beginning of a critical journey towards establishing a robust agricultural produce residue management framework for Nigeria.\u201d<\/p>\n
He expressed appreciation to the Minister of State for the initiative, saying it \u201cunderscores the Federal Government\u2019s commitment to strengthening agricultural quality assurance systems, enhancing food safety, and promoting the competitiveness of Nigerian agricultural products.\u201d<\/p>\n
On behalf of the Technical Working Group, the Chairman, Prof. Lateef Oladimeji, stated that the inauguration marks \u201ca significant step\u201d to strengthen Nigeria\u2019s agricultural quality assurance system and ensure produce \u201cmeets acceptable residue standards in line with global best practices.\u201d<\/p>\n
He explained that the TWG\u2019s mandate includes reviewing existing standards, harmonizing national guidelines with international benchmarks, and strengthening laboratory capacity for monitoring and enforcement.<\/p>\n
During her vote of thanks, the Director, Plant Health and Pest Control Department, Mrs. Grace Iwendi appreciated the Minister of state for working assiduously towards achieving the Renewed Hope Agenda in the agriculture sector.<\/p>\n
The Terms of Reference for the TWG include identifying relevant agencies to provide information for a thorough review of existing national frameworks, policies, and guidelines on residue management and contaminants in the selected priority crops. The TWG will also develop and deploy a survey instrument to assess the current state of pesticide residues and contaminants in these crops, identify regulatory, institutional, and operational gaps in residue and contaminant management, as well as suggest interventions to address them. The aim is to produce a working document that strengthens residue and contaminant management for the selected priority crops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
FG INAUGURATES TECHNICAL WORKING GROUP TO TACKLE AGRIC EXPORT REJECTIONS OVER RESIDUE LIMITS The Federal Government has inaugurated a Technical Working Group (TWG) on Agricultural Produce Residue Standards to address recurring export rejections of Nigerian agricultural commodities due to non-compliance with Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and other sanitary and phytosanitary requirements At the Inauguration ceremony […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":151002,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[243,18,20],"tags":[3072,1955,3073],"class_list":["post-150985","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-agriculture","category-news","category-the-nation","tag-agric-export-rejections","tag-fmafs","tag-twg"],"yoast_head":"\n