Contributions of Agric Exports to national coffers and socio-economic growth of Nigerians will be immersed if government remove the bottleneck of multiple taxation in its reform scheme for the sector and also democratise access to agric financing schemes.

The Nigeria Agricultural Exporter Group (NAEG) made this known in summit held in Lagos on Thursday.

The famers and exporters said they have been negleceted to promote agric exports from Nigeria with little or no government intervention stating that the business terrain is now made harder by government revenue collection agencies.

According to NAEG founder, Capt. John Okakpu, who spoke with newsmen at the summit, the group is taking corrective steps to ensure that the nation increases the quantity of exports and reaches new markets but there is need for government intervention to remove the bottleneck of multiple taxation.

He said, “Nigeria has comparative natural advantages, but there is need for a tax holiday, and a one stop shop of government regulatory agencies and harmonisation of clearances.”

He further explained that with collective efforts if both government and private players Nigeria will experience massively transform food production of Global Good Avriculty Practices.

The group has the responsibility to grow the economy in terms of generating employment and that the agric sector is the answer to government needs in the area of diversification of the economy.

Okakpu said agro exports is an area the group is pursuing aggressively, saying to enter into the global market, especially the European and U.S. markets, the Global Good Agriculture Practice (GAP) and other standards must be strictly maintained.

He said GAP is an internationally recognised standard practise by the farmers, or producers by adopting measures to ensure safety and quality food chain.

He said the group will try to implement GAP by ensuring that farmers keep fate with international standards and prevent exports reduction.

He said the group is going to pursue programmes for the development of Nigeria’s agriculture sector, as well as to assist the stakeholders and entrepreneurs of the industry.

He said it has been challenging for exporters due to capacity constraints at the ports and competition from other exporting nations.

He said the group is determined to develop agribusiness and contribute to greater food security, saying the potential is high, especially as Nigeria has natural resources to become a leading producer and exporter of agricultural products.