NTDC WARNS HOTELS AGAINST IMPORTATION OF VEGETABLE

Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC) has warned hotels in Nigeria to desist from importing vegetables from Europe, saying it was against the transformation agenda of the present administration since local farmers could produce such product.

The corporation also cautioned against the health risk to consumers due to emergence of E.coli bacteria in that part of the world, even as it stated that the practice was an avenue for siphoning foreign exchange out of the country.

The warning came on the heels of a discovery by the body that some top Nigerian hotels are importing vegetables from Europe.

It noted that it was being inundated with enquiries and reports that some hoteliers import vegetables from Europe at the detriment of Nigerian farmers. Apart from raising concern over the health risk to consumers, the corporation also noted that most of the vegetables imported by the concerned hotels are grown in the country by local framers.

Director-General of the corporation, Otunba Olusegun Runsewe, in a statement said all efforts should now be geared towards the realisation of President Goodluck Jonathan's transformation agenda with employment creation in the hospitality sector by patrionizing Nigerian farm produce like locally grown vegetables.

He explained that Nigeria has suitable soil and climatic condition to grow all varieties of vegetables, stressing that even those that grow in temperate regions are successfully cultivated in Plateau State and Mambilla region of Taraba State.

He said that patronizing local farmers would not only serve as incentive to them but would equally create employment.