OGBEH: 80 PERCENT IMPORTED TOMATO PASTE POISONOUS

Eighty percent of tomato pastes imported into the country are poisonous and not fit for human consumption, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh has said.

The minister made the disclosure during budget defence at the National Assembly yesterday.

He said laboratory tests conducted by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) revealed that the imported pastes are harmful to human health.

Ogbeh who attributed the escalation of kidney, liver and cancer diseases in the country to consumption of poisonous preserved foods, said the Federal Government will soon ban the importation of tomato paste.

The minister while reiterating the commitment of government to address the increasing prices of food items in the country, quoted Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as saying Nigeria’s grains production has risen by 11 percent.

He said the N67billion debt incurred during President Goodluck Jonathan affected the performance of the ministry in 2016.

Ogbeh said from the N21billion that was released for capital expenditure to the ministry in 2016, N17billion was used to offset part of the debt.

“Those we owed were on us. We tried what we could. President Muhammadu Buhari also gave us N20billion to pay part of the debt,” he said.

TOMATO GROWERS DEMAND PRICE REVIEW FROM DANGOTE

Ahead of its planned resumption of production by the end of this month, the Kano State Tomato Growers Association of Nigeria (TOGAN), has asked Dangote Tomato Factory in Kano to review its pricing ceiling for tomato per basket.

The state chapter chairman, Malam Sani Danladi Yadakwari, said the association was ever ready to supply the company, only if the pricing ceiling initially proposed by the company was reviewed.

He added that, in this tomato season, when open market decides the price of tomato per basket, the farmers would embrace the more favourable price and this may affect supply to the company.

“You see, presently, tomato is sold in the market at N4000 to N4500 per basket, and the offered price by the company is less than N2000. Therefore, ideally, most farmers will prefer taking their tomato to the market than to the company. However, I have heard news that the company has made commitment that it will purchase at market price even though that decision by the company wasn’t relayed to me officially. If it is true, then we will make sure that we supply the company with the needed tomato without much ado,” he assured.

Reacting, the Managing Director Dangote Tomato Company, Abdulkareem Kaita, stated that the company has concluded all the required preparations to resume production by the end of February. According to him, the management of the company will soon hold a meeting with the tomato farmers to discuss the issues, adding that the issue of pricing will not be a hindrance, assuring that all issues will be resolved.

It would be recalled that the company had suspended production last year due to the outbreak of Tuta Absoluta that ravaged tomato plantations in the state

FG SUSPENDS CATTLE TRANSPORT BY RAIL

The Federal Government has suspended transportation of cattle from the Northern part of the country to the South, Daily Trust investigation revealed.

The Nigeria Incentive-Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Lending (NIRSAL) that initiated the scheme confirmed to our reporter that the cattle movement by rail has been suspended.

Our reporter found the Gusau train station where cattle were transported to Lagos by rail in September 2016, virtually empty and deserted when he visited.

The Coordinator Research & Strategy at NIRSAL, Bello Abdullahi Abba said “Yes, it is true that the historic movement of cattle from the northern to the southern part of the country launched last year has been temporarily suspended due to some technical issues which are being worked on.

“While that process is going on, we are proceeding with another aspect of the Farm to Market scheme – transportation of grains from the north to the ports in the south for export.”

Chairman of the Cattle Dealers Association of Nigeria in Zamfara state, Alhaji Aminu Garba Gusau attributed the stoppage of Gusau to Lagos cattle transportation by rail to ‘selfishness and insincerity’ of stakeholders and organizers of the programme.

He said “We met with various stakeholders in Zaria, Abuja and Lagos. We were asked to gather cows for conveyance to Lagos and after we had done that the train didn’t show up. We lost our capitals to feeding and taking care of the animals.

“We gathered the animals ready for transportation but were disappointed because the train never came back again. We wrote to the Director Operations of the Nigeria Railway in Zaria up till now there is no positive response.

“Later we were asked to increase the transportation fares for each coach by the consultant of the programme. We had earlier paid N90,000 for each coach carrying about 30 cows. We agreed to pay N105,000 for each coach but the train hasn’t returned again.

“They are not sincere about the programme they launched it to achieve a selfish agenda and after that has been done they felt they have nothing to do with us again. We are calling on the president to look into the matter since this government is determined to diversify the economy.”

In September last year, the Federal Government through NIRSAL flagged off cattle transportation by rail in Gusau, Zamfara State.

A train carrying 500 cows in its 15 wagons left Gusau for Lagos shortly after the flag off of the scheme that was greeted with fanfare at that time. The scheme has stopped six months after the flag off.

NIRSAL said “The problem with the cattle movement is that there have been challenges with rail tracks and locomotives which led to delays.”

NCX, REPS LINK FARMERS IN 3 NORTHERN STATES TO COMMODITY MARKET

The Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX) and some members of House of Representatives in at least three northern states have trained selected farmers on how to trade their produce on the floor of the commodity market for them to optimally reap the reward of their sweats.

The training, which came in form of empowerment, took place in Benue, Plateau and Jigawa states.

In Benue, over 50 women drawn from all council wards of Makurdi/Guma Federal Constituency of the state were exposed to essentials of commodity market.

Head of Communication and Strategy at NCX, Mr. Chris Echikwu, in his presentation, said there was need for Benue, being the agricultural hub of the country, to expand market for its commodities such as sesame, maize, soybean and sorghum amongst others in the global commodity exchange world.

Echikwu said the commodity exchange would help to protect farmers against inherent risks in agricultural produce marketing through hedging in the exchange as well as address the problem of products quality while the opportunity would increase funding for agricultural activities and at a reduced cost.

In Plateau, the NCX also partnered with a member of House of Representatives representing Mikang/Qua’an-Pan/Shendam Constituency of the state, Johnbull T. Shekarau, to train about 150 farmers on capacity building for the commodity market and the use of NCX trading system.

The sensitization, which took place at Shendam Local Government Area of the state, had in attendance participants from the Mikang, Qua’an-Pan and Shendam local government areas.

Addressing the participants, a consultant, Dan Usman from Yakubu Dauda-Mama & Co., explained that the government established NCX to provide price-discovery mechanism, protect farmers against inherent risks in agricultural produce marketing through hedging in the exchange and to increase funding of agricultural activities at reduced cost.

In his presentation on the importance of warehousing, Deputy Manager, Nigeria Commodity Exchange (NCX), Abiodun Oladotun, said the warehouse minimized post-harvest losses that often affected farmers, promotes quality productivity in the agricultural sector and ability by the farmers to have access to credit facilities from the banks.

In Jigawa, the NCX has commenced training for over 600 small holder farmers on the usage of commodity market.

Participants are from Buji/Birni Kudu Federal Constituency of the state, where the NCX is partnering  Magaji Da’u Aliyu, a member representing the constituency at the National Assembly.

The Assistant General Manager, Marketing of the NCX, Ezikiel Doma, said the training had begun with about 100 farmers under the first batch.

He said the NCX would put in place an organized market for small holder farmers where there would be an organized competitive price system for their produce.

NIGERIAN PALM OIL CHEAPEST IN INTERNATIONAL MARKET – FARMER SAYS

Mr Godswealth Henry, the Managing Director, JEKON Integrated Farms Nig. Ltd., says Nigerian palm oil is the cheapest in international market because Nigeria exports low quality palm oil.

Henry told the News Agency in Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday that the palm oil produced in Nigeria was not readily accepted in the international market due to its quality.

According to him, the Nigerian palm oil is full of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a fatty substance made by the liver and distributed throughout the body. It allows our bodies to make vitamin D and hormones, and makes up bile acids.

High cholesterol in the blood can interfere with blood flow throughout the body and high cholesterol means you have a lot more cholesterol in your blood than you need.

“The palm oil being produced and marketed in Nigeria contain concentrated fatty acids.
“Nigeria’s palm oil does not meet the international requirements and when it is exported, you discover that they are cheaper while those that meet the international standard are very expensive.”

This, he said, had discouraged oil palm farmers from exporting palm oil.

According to him, the equipment to remove the fatty acids requires huge capital outlay which farmers cannot afford.

Henry said oil palm farmers needed assistance from the tiers of government through intervention fund for such capital intensive project.

“Such project can be sited in a locality where farmers can easily have access to them as well as those interested in exporting palm oil to remove the fatty acids.’’

He said oil palm farmers needed assistance to be able to produce oil to feed the local markets and export to earn foreign exchange for the country.

Henry said JEFKON integrated farms Ltd. had been lucky to acquire such equipment to remove fatty acids from red oil.

According to him, the dearth of oil palm fruit, especially during its lean season has made it impossible to procure palm fruits in commercial quantity to feed and satisfy supply needs of customers.

The managing director said the equipment was capable of producing 250 drums of high quality palm oil daily.

“However, because of the scarcity of palm fruits, the company hardly gets 10 tonnes or 50 drums of palm oil in a week.

Henry said that about 99 per cent of raw materials for production of palm oil were still being sourced from Cross River.

He attributed the low production of palm oil to poor maintenance of the Okpara Oil Palm Plantations in Cross River, and non-establishment of new palm plantations since 1960s.

Henry said that governments should resuscitate the palm plantations in the country to demonstrate their serious about diversification of the economy.

The European Union suspended some agricultural food exports from Nigeria which include palm oil in 2016 due to its low quality. (NAN)

FARM HACKS: REPAIR MAKE-DOS

These tricks make quick work of repairs when you can’t find the right tool.

USE A GREASE-FILLED SYRINGE TO PACK BEARINGS

When packing grease in wheel bearings, it’s hard to be sure if grease is getting inserted into all the cavities around the rollers or balls and between the outer and inner races. Rather than pack the bearings by hand, employ an old, grease-filled livestock syringe instead.

This allows you to insert the syringe’s needle between the rollers or balls and races, and to quickly pack the bearing, minimizing the mess while filling all cavities with lubricant. 

FLEXIBLE SPARK PLUG EXTENSION GETS IN TIGHT SPACES

There are times when it’s hard to hand-start a spark plug in some engines, particularly when space is limited, as is often the case on many modern vehicles.

The solution is to create a flexible spark plug extension from an air hose or similar tubing with a ½-inch interior diameter. The porcelain top of the spark plug fits snug inside the hose and won’t drop out. Also, the hose is stiff enough to provide twisting torque. The hose can be cut to any length to suit a particular situation.

SUPER RUBBER BANDS KEEP THINGS TOGETHER

Are you always losing those straws on spray lubricant bottles? Or how about chuck keys or adjustment wrenches on power tools that go missing. Tired of having the rubber hose on your grease gun whip around leaving a trail of grease behind on toolboxes – or you?

The quick solution is to create these super rubber retaining bands from bicycle tubing. You can cut the tubing at various widths to suit the job – narrower for spray lubricant can straws and wider to hold the end of a flexible grease gun hose or drill chuck key. 

HOW TO SEAT THE BEADS ON SMALL TIRES

If a tire on a small cart or wheelbarrow goes flat, the beads on the tire often lift away from the rim seat. The resulting gap allows too much air to escape, preventing the tire from being reinflated.

To push the bead against the rim seat, first apply bead seat sealer on the seat. Next, employ a ratchet strap to deflect the center of the tire. This causes the sides of the tire and, thus, its beads, to move outward against the rim.

3 BIG THINGS TODAY, FEBRUARY 18

SOYBEANS, CORN LOWER IN OVERNIGHT TRADING; USDA EXPECTED TO LOWER CARRYOUT ESTIMATES.

1. SOYBEANS, GRAINS LOWER OVERNIGHT ON POSITION SQUARING AHEAD OF WASDE

Soybeans and corn were lower in overnight trading ahead of today’s World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates Report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Futures have a bearish tone even as the USDA is expected to lower corn ending stocks by 20 million bushels, wheat inventories by 6 million bushels, and soybeans carryout by 10 million bushels, according to Allendale’s Paul Georgy.

Still, the agency is expected to raise its corn-production outlook for Brazil. Argentina’s corn and soybean crop projections are expected to be lowered from last month’s outlook, Georgy said.

Soybean futures for March delivery fell 5¼¢ to $10.53½ a bushel overnight on the Chicago Board of Trade. Soy meal lost $2 to $339.20 a short ton, and soy oil declined 0.04¢ to 34.65¢ a pound.

Corn lost 1¼¢ to $3.69½ a bushel in Chicago.

Wheat futures for March delivery fell 2¢ to $4.30½ a bushel. Kansas City futures declined 2¼¢ to $4.39¾ a bushel.

**

2. USDA LIKELY TO LOWER CORN STOCKS SLIGHTLY, SOYBEANS SEEN DROPPING

The Department of Agriculture in its monthly WASDE Report today is expected to lower its outlook for 2016-2017 ending stocks in corn only slightly while more drastically cutting its outlook for soybean inventories.

Corn carryout at the end of the marketing year on August 31 likely will be pegged at about 2.33 billion bushels, down from 2.36 billion last month, analysts said. U.S. soybean inventories will probably be estimated at 407 million bushels, well below the January estimate of 420 million due to strong demand from overseas buyers.

The USDA is expected to raise its outlook for Brazilian corn production by about 1 million metric tons to 87.5 million, analysts said. Soybean output in the country likely will be little changed at about 104 million tons.

Argentine corn output will total about 36 million metric tons, down from 36.5 million tons, while soybean production will probably be seen at about 55 million tons, down from 57 million in January.

The USDA’s estimate for global ending stockpiles of corn will likely be little changed at 221 million tons, while soybean inventories will probably be pegged at about 81 million tons, down from 82.3 million last month.

Get today’s news sent to your in-box by signing up for Soxagro newsletters.

**

3. BITTER COLD FOLLOWS STORMS IN ILLINOIS, INDIANA, OHIO

Cold weather is following up a storm that slammed parts of the Midwest as it head off to the East Coast this morning.

In parts of Iowa and Illinois, temperatures are forecast to be as low as -10˚F., according to the National Weather Service.

Temperatures are expected to be in the teens this morning in much of Indiana and southern Michigan, following yesterday’s storm. That will likely lead to slick roads this morning, especially on side streets and untreated surfaces, the NWS said. Wind chills are expected to be about 0˚F. today.

The extreme cold also is expected in parts of Ohio, where wind chills today and tonight are forecast to be as low as -10˚F., according to the NWS.

PHOTO TELL: OGUN STATE YOUTH CONVENTION

  

Agric Commissioner urges youths to maximize opportunities in Agribusiness

The Ogun State Commissioner for Agriculture, Adepeju Adebajo has urged youths to exploit opportunities in agriculture and agribusiness.

Speaking at the second day of the Ogun State Youth Convention under the theme “Ogun Youths: Exploring New frontiers” noted that it was important for youths to begin to seek viable ventures in the agricultural sector to invest for the future.

According to Adebajo, “agriculture is the key to building wealth for generations to come. It is not just limited to crop farming, it’s about livestock, fishery, forestry so agriculture is very broad.  It’s about everything from seeds to production to processing, marketing, packaging to distribution”.

She explained that agriculture was beyond food, highlighting other aspects, such as horticulture, landscaping, apiculture as well as the environment.

“When you talk about agriculture, you also talk about the environment and sustainability, the more trees you grow the less you are depleting the ozone layer, there’s plenty of money out there for people who are practicing agriculture in a sustainable manner, you differentiate yourself again. There are many people who are doing organic farming, who are keeping bees, selling organic honey; there are lots of opportunities in agriculture and in the agribusiness.  So please don’t look at agriculture in the traditional way you thought of agriculture, it has moved on and there’s so much opportunities”.

Speaking further on the importance of agriculture, the commissioner expressed that agriculture had greater potential to provide employment more than other sectors as one involved in agribusiness automatically became an employer of labour.

“It is eleven times more effective in generating employment than other careers.  So you become a farmer or you become somebody involved in agriculture, you automatically become an employer of labour”, she said.

Adebajo pointed that though funding was often seen as a challenge, there were various intervention programs such as the anchor borrowers scheme and youth empowerment initiatives designed to empower youths who want to invest in the agriculture sector. She also highlighted state projects such as the model farm in Owowo, where young people where trained in livestock and crop farming as well as the Eruwe fish cluster.

“We have a model farm in Owowo, it’s a model farm estate, there are 40 bungalows occupied by 40 graduate farmers, this is a youth empowerment initiative of the state and it’s aimed at unemployed young graduates of agricultural disciplines. Those farmers are very successful and they now have businesses in poultry and egg production, catfish farming and crop farming”, she stated.

She noted that there were also non-government intervention programmes for those interested in the agriculture business, adding that there were opportunities across the various value chains.

The commissioner however called on the youths to take advantage of these programmes and exploit opportunities in agriculture.

FG SETS UP TASK FORCE TO CHECK RISING COST OF FOOD

The federal government also yesterday set up a task force on food security to address the worrying incidence of rising cost of food items in the market.

The minister of information, Lai Mohammed, who disclosed this after the FEC meeting at the presidential villa, Abuja, expressed concern that agricultural products do not get to the market, and when they do, they are sold at very exorbitant prices.

He said the committee is expected to report back to Council next week after which concrete actions would be taken to remedy the situation, adding that government is concerned about the rising price of food and is trying to do something to bring it down.

Mohammed said: “We considered several memos, and approvals were given and the major highlight is Council resolved to set up a task force on food security.

“Government is quite concerned about the rising cost of food items and the fact that, more often than not, even when these products are available, if they do reach the market, there are sold at very exorbitant prices.

“So, the government has set up task force on food security to ensure that an end is put to the wastages that occur, with tonnes and tonnes of produce in the farms rotting away or in the markets getting rotten. It’s an inter-ministerial committee made up of the ministers of agriculture, finance, water resources, transportation.

“The important thing is to look at what areas of intervention the government can make. The intervention can be in the area of subsidy in transportation; that is being worked out, but this goes to show that government is very much concerned about the rising cost of food price and we are responding to it.”

Members of the task force include the following ministers: Chief Audu Ogbeh (Agriculture and Rural Development), Mrs Kemi Adeosun (Finance), Dr. Okey Enelamah (Industry, Trade and Development), Mr Rotimi Amaechi (Transportation), Engr Suleiman Adamu (Water Resources), and Dr Chris Ngige (Labour and Employment)

The Offices of the Chief of Staff to the President and the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) would also be part of the task force.

During the briefing, the minister of state for aviation, Hadi Sirika, noted that two memoranda were approved in the Ministry of Transport, which include the procurement of two first class coaches – two for baggage and six for long distance economy class coaches,  and for improvement of the Kaduna airport.