NAN-H-34
Food
By Chidinma Agu
Lagos, Feb. 10, 2017 (NAN) A food scientist, Mr Duro Kuteyi, on Friday urged both the Federal and state governments to lay more emphasis on the need to be processing agricultural produce in the country into edibles and for preservation.
Kuteyi, also the Managing Director, Spectra Industries Nigeria Ltd., told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that the three tiers of government were doing so much in promoting agricultural activities in the country.
“However, the governments need to do more by processing agricultural produce to increase the shelf life of the produce.
“Processing agricultural produce will make more food stuffs be available throughout the year in the country at uniform prices; it will guarantee food security, stimulate production and ensure markets for farmers.
“It will help a lot to reduce post-harvest losses being experienced on a large scale now, nationwide,’’ he said.
Kuteyi said that the level of processing of agricultural produce in the country was still very low; or not at a sustainable rate, and could not make for good production for export.
He said that export was a serious business which required continuous and big volume of production so as to meet large quantities being demanded for export.
According to him, there are many agricultural produce such as vegetables, fruits, greens, fishes and animal products that are ready, and require processing.
Kuteyi said that once farmers had markets for their produce, they would have the means to continue planting.
He said that it was also good for governments to know that food professionals were the people needed to handle the processing of agricultural produce.
Kuteyi said that encouraging food professionals to be fully involved in the processing of agricultural produce would help to drive the nation’s agricultural policy. (NAN)
ACA/FLP/PAD
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Edited by Folorunso Poroye, Peter Dada