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From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Nigerian Institute of Food Science Technology (NIFST), has blamed poor packaging and meager funding as the bane of Nigeria’s foods in the international market.
NIFST equally identified non-compliance to global food standard and poor adherence to food safety as other reasons why the Nigerian foods are struggling to compete with others in the global market.
The President of NIFST, Professor Joseph Oneh Abu, made the explanation in Umuahia, while addressing the press at the sidelines if the 47th Annual Conference of NIFST, holding in Umudike, Umuahia.
He disclosed that food exports from Nigeria have the capacity to dominate the global market and earn the nation more foreign exchange, but regretted that poor branding of foods by exporters usually affect marketability and competitiveness of the exports.
Professor Abu, while saying that NIFST has taken up the task of harnessing the abundant talent, knowledge and skills among food professionals in Nigeria, he informed the body was at the same time working towards food sufficiency and good nutrition of the masses.
He disclosed that the nation currently imports more than three times, the value of its foods she exports but promised that the 47th conference would bring experts together from the academia, food industry, government and the civil society to discuss the opportunities and challenges of penetrating Nigeria’s food into international market.
The NIFST President said the value of global food industry would hit $10 trillion by 2027, adding that the 47-year- old food organization was doing everything to make Nigeria food sector to carve a big market share of the projected growth.
Professor Abu while commending the federal government for establishing the Nigerian Council of Food Science and Technology, NICFoST to regulate the practice of food science in Nigeria.
He urged the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu- led government, to without hesitation inaugurate the NICFoST council.
