Yam Exportation Won’t Affect Local Consumption – Committee Chairman

The technical committee on Nigeria Yam Export Programme on Friday stated that the exportation of yam will neither affect the price or availability for local consumption.

Speaking to NAN, Simon Irtwange, the committee’s chairman said there is an action plan in place to make sure the exportation of the product does not negatively affect its availability within the country.

He explained that what might be affected is exported yam as the rules guiding the export of food are more stringent that those that guide local consumption.

He said: “The export of yam will serve as incentives for more yam production and we are developing schemes to ensure that.

“It is not every tuber of yam that has export quality and it is not also every tuber that meets export standard.

“For export, particular weights and sizes of yam are required.

“Farmers are learning how to separate export and non-export quality yams.

“Yams with no export quality will be left for local consumption or taken to factories to be processed into flour and yam chips, among others,’’ he said.

He, however, said no solution has yet been put in place to ensure the price of yam stays the same year round. This is because agricultural products become expensive long after their harvest period have passed.

“We all know that at harvest, yam is cheaper and 100 tubers of yam can go for N10, 000. “However, six months after, the same 100

“However, six months after, the same 100 tubers will go for N35, 000,’’ he said.According to him, price stability is not possible with agricultural produce, as the prices often go up long after harvests.