The fungal infestation on ginger plantations in Kaduna state, according to the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, will likely cause the country to lose more than N8 billion in foreign revenues.
The executive director of the council, Ezra Yakusak, warned of the imminent fall in non-oil export revenue on Wednesday while speaking at the second National Conference on Non-Oil Export in Abuja.
Yakusak revealed that the odd illness devouring ginger plantations in Kaduna State had affected roughly 2,503.9 hectares of farmland while pleading with the federal government to declare a pandemic on ginger fungal infestation.
He declared, “I will not do justice to my talk if I do not discuss the difficulties ginger producers and exporters in Nigeria are currently experiencing. Due to its distinct scent, pungency, and high oleoresin concentration, Nigerian ginger has been deemed the best in the world. Nigeria is now among the world’s top exporters of ginger as a result.
“However, the Council heard from a number of people who were concerned about the spread of a peculiar disease that was destroying ginger fields in Kaduna State. A loss of almost N8 billion is anticipated for the 2,503.9 hectares of farmland that have already been impacted.
The disease is impacting the income and way of life of ginger growers, the majority of whom are MSMEs, in addition to the enormous financial and economic damage.”
The head of NEPC explained that, “if the problem is not appropriately addressed, Nigeria’s non-oil export performance may see a precipitous decrease with the advent of the disease. I urge the federal government to designate the ginger fungus infestation, a crop pandemic and to combat it with the same ferocity with which our country battled the COVID-19 pandemic to a standstill in this direction.”
He said that the conference was also intended to reiterate the export for survival campaign’s theme and the necessity for Nigerians to adopt an export culture in order to achieve sustained economic growth.
