NEPC organises forum for sesame seed stakeholders

The Yola Zonal Office of the Nigerian Export Promotion Council said it has organized a  Forum on sesame seed production, processing and export for about 79 stakeholders
Alhaji Mansur Yusuf, the Council Controller in charge of Adamawa, Gombe and Taraba States, made the disclosure to newsmen in Yola.
Sesame seed refined oil is among the expensive cooking oil in the world.
Yusuf said the forum was aimed at fostering synergy and collaboration among stakeholders to promote value chain and clusters in sesame seed business in the zone.
He said: “The council early this year organized a stakeholders forum on sesame seed production in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State where over 70 sesame farmers and marketers participated.
“The objective of the forum was to increase production and processing of the commodity in the zone and in Taraba in particular to reach export level.”
Yusuf explained that Nigeria’s sesame seed was among the best in the world and if properly improved, would generate millions of Dollars for the country.
He stated that the forum was in line with the Federal Government’s drive toward the development of non oil sector, with the emphasis on agricultural and solid minerals sectors.
He regretted that the decline in oil revenue as a result of fall in price in international markets necessitated the council to diversify to non oil means for sustainability of national economic growth.
He confirmed that the council has identified five major border markets in Adamawa and Taraba States situated along Nigeria-Cameroon borders where non-oil goods worth billions of naira were being locally exported.
The zonal council controller promised that with strong political will, enabling business environment and the collaboration of organized stakeholders, Nigeria would soon be on the path of inclusive economic growth and sustainable development.