The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) and the Federal Department of Fisheries have trained over 50 fish exporters, farmers and processors on the requisite skills to exploit in the export market.
Speaking at a technical session for fish practitioners on compliance to importing countries requirements in Lagos, the Chief Executive Officer, NEPC, Dr Ezra Yakusak, said the technical session would give participants the opportunity to understand and adopt regulations of importing countries to avoid the high level of rejection of Nigerian exports.
Represented by the Director, Product Development Department, Mrs. Obidike Evelyn, he said the training being conducted in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Department of Fisheries to equip fish farmers, processors and fish exporters would expose them on the right way of exporting their products without getting their fingers burnt.
“If you are exporting fish and fishery products, they have to comply with regulations of the importing countries. We are here to reach and train all the practitioners in the fish sector and we are starting with Lagos State. We want to let them know what is required of them so that they can comply and their fish would be accepted at the international market.
This is why we have brought in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD) and the Federal Department of Fisheries to tell them what the requirements are,” he said.
“We have over 50 fish processors here and plan to take them bit by bit; so we are starting with a sizable number that can listen and understand and get it right.
“NEPC is here to provide the relevant, requisite and current information for them to take advantage of the fish export business,” he added.
Also speaking, the Director, Federal Department of Fisheries, Dr Farouq Abdullahi, who was represented by the Deputy Director and Head of Quality Assurance, Lagos Liaison Office, Mrs. Oladosu Olanike, said the programme would introduce a roadmap for compliance of exporters of fish and fishery products to adhere to global best practices.
“We want a situation where Nigeria’s fish export will enter the international market without rejection, particularly the aquaculture products also known as cultured fish. We want to sensitise the farmers, processors and exporters to export products that will not be rejected.
Information is key and this is why we are trying to train the practitioners to identify the documents and standards they have to comply with, because international business is all about compliance with the importing country’s regulations”, he said.
“They must first of all identify the country they want to export to and get familiar with their regulations and set themselves to comply with their regulations. We are making them know the issues they have to attend to and how they have to attend to it. We give them support from our own end by monitoring, controlling and supervising their export activities,” he added.
He also stated that the fish export has a lot of potential, pointing out that Nigeria’s catfish and tilapia are doing great exploits in the export market.
