NEPC IN COLLABORATION TO BUILD CAPACITY
NIGERIAN Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has said that in response to global concerns, the council is determined to collaborate with relevant trade promotion organisations, training institutes and certification agencies in building the capacity, competence and capability of exporters in developing products that conform to global specifications for accessing global market.
NEPC boss, David Adulugba dropped the hint recently at the NEPC Collaborative training seminar with the Japanese Extertal Trade Organisation (JETTRO) at a seminar on Exporting to to Japan: Spices and Food Related Products in Lagos.
The NEPC boss said, 'I sincerely believe that the expertise skills and knowledge gained from today's seminar will enhance export competitiveness of Nigerian food related products, help in empowering our teeming unemployed youths through skills acquisition, increase wealth and job creation in line with the Transformation Agenda of the present administration.'
He said, Nigeria is a major producer of spices such as chilies, black pepper, garlic, ginger, etc which have recorded a substantial increase in global market. However, the world in recent time has seen growing awareness and critical concern about health and environmental issues that impact and dictate exporters' ability to gain sustainable market access.
In this context, exporters must come to terms with issues that bother on adoption of Hi-Tech in food (Spice) Processing, technology and process up gradation, setting up in-house quality control laboratory and quality certification.
Providing assistance for these components therefore are very vital towards empowering exporters to adopt good agricultural practices that will help Nigeria acquire distinct image as an 'International processing hub' for quality spices and food products.'
Earlier in his welcome address, Area Controller (South) NEPC, Mr. Matthew Agbogun noted that quality has become a prerequisite for successful market access.
He advised Nigerian exporters, who wished to export to Japan to try meeting technical requirements in the international marketplace has also posed to be a challenge for many exporters.
According to ITC research, 'approximately 70% of the problems faced by exporters due to non-tariff measures are in the area of technical barriers to trade (TBT) and sanitary and phytosanitary measures (SPS). visers.