According to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the value of the country’s agricultural export increased by N14.6 billion or 24 per cent from N56.1 billion in q1 20117 to N73.7 billion in q1 2018 on a year on year basis.

On a quarter on quarter basis, the value of Nigeria’s agric export increased by N29 billion or 63.8 percent from N44.7 billion in q4 2017 to N73.7 billion in q1 2018.
The sector accounted for 1.6 percent of Nigeria’s total export for the one-year period.

According to the NBS data, Sesame seeds led the list of agricultural commodities exported for the period, followed by cocoa and cashew nuts. The foreign trade report shows that sesame seeds worth N26.6 billion in q1 2018 from N13.03 billion in q1 2017, representing 105 percent year-on-year increase.

Stakeholders say the export numbers are an indication that the sesame seed production has the capacity to grow and earn the country huge foreign exchange and create hundreds of jobs in the country as long as the government draws a master plan for the sub-sector, as it has done in rice.

Nigeria’s sesame production is put at 200,000 metric tonnes with an average of 0.8 metric tonnes per hectare, according to data obtained from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD).

Sesame seed is Nigeria’s biggest agricultural produce exported to Japan. It is considered as one of the world’s oldest oilseed crop that has the highest oil content than any other seed.

The oil extracted from the seed is used in making vegetable oil and for medicinal purposes for treatment of ulcers and burnt. The stem as well as the oil is used by cosmetic industry in the production of soaps and other beauty products.

Source: Business Day

The post Nigeria’s Agric Export Rises By 24% In 3 Months appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.

Sesame seed is a flowering plant that has a wide variety of relative spread in Africa. Widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and dating as old as man’s existence, it is the oldest known oil seed known to man. Sesame is popular amongst African farmers and it can resist drought where other crops fail and it doesn’t require much fertiliser making it less expensive to cultivate.

Nigeria has a broad variety of commodities growing on its land, which have the potential to generate revenue and improve the Agric sector. One of such commodities is sesame seeds. Based on its colour, Sesame is classified into the white and brown varieties. The white grain (Food Grade) is used by bakeries for pastry garnishing and salad while the brown grain, often referred to as the oil grade, is used in the production of sesame oil.

Why Nigeria

Nigeria is the largest producer of sesame seeds in Africa, and the third largest in the world, with about 580,000 tonnes produced in 2017. 90% of sesame seeds produced in Nigeria are exported. As at Q1’18, it was the most exported non-oil commodity, which make it 0.57% to the total export value and 36.39% of agricultural exports. Taraba, Jigawa, Nasarawa, Edo and Benue are the four major states that produce this commodity in Nigeria.

Why Exporting To UAE and GCC Region

Sesame Seeds has lots of health and industrial benefits and is widely used for baking, medicine, cosmetics and animal feeds. It also has a high oil content (44–60%). Considering its health benefits and the growing preference for organic foods, which make it one of the most wanted agric product in the UAE and GCC region, which is positive for Nigeria.

Currently, Sesame seed is one of the top agro products imported into the UAE and other GCC with $43.90 million import value from Nigeria. $43.90m import value is expected to double up by 2020 as the population keeps increasing in the UAE and GCC Region. These present huge opportunities for Nigeria in terms of increasing fiscal and export revenue.

How To Become A Major Exporter

Before, agricultural products imported into the UAE from Africa are mostly from North Africa, particularly Egypt and Morocco. However, regardless of the lack of bilateral trade agreement between the UAE and most African countries, imports of agro products from many African countries are increasing, especially from Nigeria, which is a major supplier of Halal products to the UAE and other GCC countries.

To take advantage of these opportunities and exploit its potential, attend this year’s Meet the Farmers Conference (MTFC). An agro-business conference that aims to bring together large scale agricultural commodity producers from Africa to buyers within the countries that form the Gulf Corporation Council using Dubai as a trade centre.

Meet with the largest gathering of Agric stakeholders in Africa and the UAE at the Meet The Farmers Conference as we discuss The FUTURE OF AGRIBUSINESS which will hold in Nigeria at Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, Nigeria and Grand Finale at Conrad Hotel, Dubai UAE.

By attending this conference, be rest assured to be connected with key industry people, network, build partnerships and generate a new source of revenue for your agribusiness, establishing new strategic business partnerships, network with agric stakeholders in the UAE and GCC so as to start exporting the most wanted agric products, Sesame seed to the Gulf region.

The post How To Become a Major Exporter of Sesame Seeds to UAE From Nigeria appeared first on MTFC | Meet The Farmers Conference - Nov 2019 - Dubai UAE.