Nigeria spends over $2bn annually on honey importation - FG reveals

macfranc007 September 03, 2018 Nigeria News today & Breaking news ▷ Read Naija news 24/7 Buchi Obichie

- The Nigerian federal govt says the country spends over $2bn annually on the importation of honey

- Nigeria consumes about 400,000 tonnes of honey annually but produces less than 10 percent of its total consumption

- The government has, however, commenced moves aimed at reducing the amount spent on importing honey into the country

The federal government has disclosed that Nigeria spends over $2bn annually on the importation of honey.

The development was made public in a report put together by officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigerian Export Promotion Council and apiculture (beekeeping) experts, Punch reports.

NAIJ.com gathers that the report states that Nigeria consumes about 400,000 tonnes of honey annually but produces less than 10 percent of its total consumption.

It stated that there has been a heavier demand on food resources as the country’s population has grown; and that this has compelled agricultural methods to improve technologically in order to meet the national consumption requirements.

According to the report, beekeeping was not exempt; and there is a compelling need for beekeepers to imbibe global standards so as to grow the subsector and integrate the benefits into mainstream agricultural development.

It stated: “Currently, Nigeria consumes about 400,000 tonnes of honey annually, produces less than 40,000 tonnes (10 per cent of the consumption) which by implication translates to an import bill of over $2bn annually.

“Low yields from local farmers due to primitive methods of farming means that national food production is less than national food consumption, which by implication swells the national import bill by staggering figures to billions of dollars.”

The government, however, stated that it had commenced moves aimed at reducing the amount spent on importing honey into the country.

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Meanwhile, NAIJ.com previously reported that Chief Audu Ogbeh, minister of agriculture and rural development, delivered a warning to Nigerians about the presence of fake honey in the country.

He said the fake honey is made from sugar syrup, and is dangerous to human health.

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