Nigeria is on the verge of a major economic breakthrough in the global mango trade if it can address technical and processing gaps.
This is as the country’s natural ecology and human capital offer a rare competitive advantage.
The minister of Agriculture and food security, Abubakar Kyari, who made this known at a stakeholders meeting in Abuja, said the subsector can create millions of jobs and generate foreign exchange earnings, if mango farmers can adopt innovation technology, climate-smart practices and unity.
Nigeria produces close to one million metric tonnes of mangoes annually, ranking among the top global and continental producers. Cultivation spans from 120,000 to 130,000 hectares across multiple agroecological zones, with major production hubs in northern states like Kano and the middle belt.
However, despite the rising volume, Nigeria continues to face a significant “valuation gap” in the international markets. Represented by the deputy director, Hoticulture department, Afusatu Babalda, the minister of Agriculture and food security, Abubakar kyari, said mango remained one of the most important horticultural crops with potential to boost farmers’ income and expand export opportunities.
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He pledged his administration commitment to ensuring a prosperous and stable mango subsector.
For other stakeholders, despite Nigeria’s high production ranking, post-harvest losses remain widespread, with large volumes of mangoes often left to waste along roadsides in most producing states.
Nigerian mango farmers are positioned to tap into Europe’s fast-growing, multi-billion-naira mango market as production capacity expands and global demand for high-quality tropical fruits surges.
With the association’s newly elected executives coming with their expertise, it is expected that Nigeria’s mango output could rise to as much as over one million metric tons in the coming years, consolidating its status as Africa’s third-largest producer and the world’s 11th.
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(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
