There are ongoing talks between Nigeria and China for the removal of current five per cent export duty placed on cassava export from Nigeria.
Speaking at the Third Ogun State Investors’ Forum on Wednesday, MAy 11, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbe, said although there is a high demand for Nigeria’s cassava, especially in China, the high cost of transportation of the commodity from the hinterland to Lagos, enroute China, has made it less profitable.
The Minister said: “Transportation of exports to China is expensive because of the distance from here. So if we can get the Chinese government to remove the five per cent duty placed on Nigerian cassava, then that will be encouraging for farmers.”
Ogbe expressed optimism that the discussion will sails through, especially since the same waiver was granted Thailand on cassava export to China.
“Nigerian cassava has been proven to be of higher and better quality than that of Thailand. So I am hopeful that China will grant us waiver on the commodity because this will further boost our export capacity of same to the Asia country,” he said.
