Tag Archives: Garri

Agriculture Ministry, NAFDAC to investigate alleged importation of garri from India

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The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural development says it will liaise with the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to investigate the alleged importation of garri from India.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, said that it is ”strange and ridiculous” that garri would be imported when there is enough supply of cassava and garri in the country.

He said that the country produces more cassava that India, adding that Nigerians must change their attitude towards imported goods.

“I have heard of it. I will find out by tomorrow if NAFDAC indeed did certify any garri from India; unless it is some Indian companies packaging the garri here.

“Nigerians are too ready to buy anything imported. They will bring in apples and some of them have been preserved with ethanol which is not healthy for our consumption.

“Whoever is importing garri from India, something must be wrong with them. Why import garri when you do not know the conditions through which the garri was produced over there.

“ I have no powers to stop imports, but I can recommend to the Nigerian Customs that this is unreasonable. I produce and encourage Nigerians to eat what they produce because it is safer for them,’’ Ogbeh said.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that some sections of the media reported the existence of NAFDAC certified imported garri from India in some departmental stores and open markets across the country.

NAFDAC has however, denied the certification of such imported agricultural produce.

 

Source: The Guardian

NAFDAC denies registering ‘Indian garri’

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The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, NAFDAC, Tuesday, said contrary to reports, it did not register the ‘Indian garri’ that was reportedly being sold in the Nigerian market.

The agency’s Director, Special Duties and Media, Abubakar Jimoh, said this in an interview with newsmen on Tuesday, noting that there had been false reports that the agency registered the brand.

Nigerians had expressed concerns over the weekend when it was reported that ‘Indian’-packaged garri was being sold in the country. The garri was packed in a 500g bag, which had the picture of a lady and an inscription, ‘TRS’, on it. It also had a price tag of N450, according to reports.
NAFDAC said it immediately commenced investigations into? the alleged importation of the “Indian garri”.

The agency also cautioned Nigerians against consumption of the product
.
Similarly, the Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, spoke on the development in a statement on his verified twitter handle, noting that 26 packets of the product were seized for analysis by NAFDAC after regulatory officials visited the supermarket in Ikoyi on Monday.

While speaking with newsmen Tuesday evening, Mr. Jimoh said that preliminary investigations revealed that the product was produced in UK, shipped to Ghana and now being sold in Nigeria.

He, however, said that the agency did not register the product as being insinuated.
“Let me make it clear again that NAFDAC did not register any garri,” he told newsmen.

“We have collected samples of the product and sent them for screening,” he added.
Explaining further, Mr. Jimoh said NAFDAC couldn’t have registered the imported ‘Indian-garri’ because the agency understood the implication of such a decision on the local production market and the general Nigerian economy.

“We are not just safeguarding public health, we also ensure the growth of the Nigerian production industry and facilitate the federal government’s efforts at fixing the economy,” he noted.

The NAFDAC spokesperson said investigation is ongoing on the product and the agency would reveal the outcome of its findings once the investigations are concluded.

“The (Acting) Director-General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, would address the press once the result is out,” he said.

 

IITA, others brainstorm on efficient garri production in Ibadan

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Local and international stakeholders in agriculture are brainstorming at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, on road map to efficient garri production in Nigeria.

The programme titled “garri revolution workshop road map to an efficient and equitable garri processing system” began on Tuesday and would end on October 6.

The workshop featured representatives from Global Cassava Partnership, IITA, Natural Resources Institute, Research Programme on Roots, Tubers and Banana, among others.

The Director of Research Programme on RTB, Dr Graham Thiele, said the purpose of the workshop was to identify strategies to greatly improve garri processing in quantity, quality and livelihood of those involved.

He said it would build on the process of results based management led by RTB with IITA and other partners for small and medium scale cassava processing in Nigeria.

He said, “The objectives of the workshop are to identify key trends in demand for garri, describe current state of knowledge and critical gaps in garri processing.

“Prepare draft road map for next steps to improve garri processing and livelihoods, identify elements of a multi-institutional R&D project to put the road map at work in the real world.

“We need to bring together a lot of people to brainstorm on how to improve garri production; we have seen a lot of inefficiencies and wastage in the course of the production.

“We want to see how we can improve the technology in terms of garri frying, milling, etc and enhance them.

“We saw the need to improve the hygiene, environment, safety and make cassava wastes, peels to wealth, because the peels can be used for high quality livestock feed.”

He further emphasised that the strategy for an efficient and equitable garri processing system would also be extended to other countries, especially in Africa.