Nigerian yam farmers call for repeal of Export Prohibition Act
By Chinyere Ogbonna – The Acting President of the Association of Yam Farmers, Processors and Marketers in Nigeria, Prof. Simon Irtwange has implored the federal government and the National Assembly to boost yam exports, by accelerating the repeal of the Export Prohibition Act of 1989.
Professor Irtwange who made the call while speaking at a forum agriculture stakeholders in Abuja, emphasised that the Act which has continued to thwart the commitments of yam exporters from steering their business freely and putting out their yam export figures, also accounts for the drawbacks recorded in the diversification efforts and policies of the federal government.
He said that the Export Prohibition Act which prohibits the export of yams and it’s derivatives remained a big problem to yam exporters in the country.
“The Export Prohibition Act is a big problem to us; it is difficult to come open with numbers when we know that there is a law on ground clearly prohibiting export of yams and its derivatives. The dilemma now is that you have a government policy encouraging export of agricultural produce but the Act is against it. There was an NGO that wanted to give us support and invest in the yam value chain, but as soon as they saw the law, they withdrew because these foreign organizations cannot support what Nigeria has prohibited,” he said.
Professor Irtwange, who also doubles as the chairman of the Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme, stressed that the Act could similarly hamper on the production of yams across the country.
He added, “This yam export initiative serves as an incentive to farmers to drive production and once you open the commodity for export, you find that more people will go into production. “Farmers produce for food security and also for export, but as it is now, there is no incentive for farmers to go and produce large quantity of yams.”
Professor Irtwange, who also doubles as the chairman of the Technical Committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme, stressed that the Act could similarly hamper on the production of yams across the country.
He added, “This yam export initiative serves as an incentive to farmers to drive production and once you open the commodity for export, you find that more people will go into production. “Farmers produce for food security and also for export, but as it is now, there is no incentive for farmers to go and produce large quantity of yams.”
Professor Irtwange further disclosed that, the Act prohibits the export of five agricultural produce, which includes beans, cassava tuber, maize, rice, yam tuber and their derivatives.
