FG urged to support farmers to process produce for export

The Federal Government has been urged to assist farmers to process their produce for export in order to curtail wastage and reduce the pressure of excess demand for foreign exchange.

The Director (Operations) All Purpose Shelter, Balogun Oluwasegun made the call at the ongoing Christmas Trade Fair at Wuye Ultra Modern Market in Abuja.

He said the country’s over-reliance on imported goods is affecting local industries with adverse effect on the economy.

Oluwasegun said that the trade fair which has the theme, “Promoting Made in Nigeria Goods” is in line with the efforts of the present administration to promote patronage of local products.

He added: “Our local products are under-patronised, even the food we eat, people still believe in foreign rice but in this trade fair you can see farmers with their local rice, Jero processed in form of Semovita, made in Nigeria fabrics among others. If you have to go and get forex to import rice, another person needs it to import cement, the demand on forex will escalate and there will be too much pressure on the economy.”