Nigeria Targets $200m  Export of Rhodes Grass,Fodder to UAE,Turkey, Others in 2024

Bennett Oghifo 

 
Nigeria exports of animal fodder may hit $200 million this year going by increasing others from the Middle East.

Already, Nigeria Exports of residues, wastes of food industry, animal fodder was $133.14 Million last year, according to the United NationsCOMTRADE database on international trade.
Turkey alone imported $8.02 Million worth of residues, wastes of food industry, animal fodder last year from Nigeria according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Details on this emerged during the setting up of a multi stakeholders platform(MSP)for feed and fodder in Nigeria. The  event was organised by African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources,  Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Sterling Bank and other partners.

The   Managing Director Commodity Development Initiative (CDI), Mr Roland Oroh, said his organisation in colloboration with a  group of investors are targeting export of Rhodes grass estimated at $55 million   to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this year.

He said CDI  signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to  commercially develop Nigeria’s livestock and pasture industries for export markets.
Rhodes grass is high quality forage for livestock producers in the Middle East. It is highly valued as a feed option for livestock, particularly for grazing and hay production.

CDI is implementing Made in Nigeria for Export (MINEx) which seeks to expand selected Nigeria’s export products by 15 per cent annually till 2030 and contribute to achieving the Federal Government $1 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) target.

Oroh, said the target is to achieve $505.6 million by 2029  taking a large share of the Middle East Pasture Hay Market.

According to him, the group has secured an order for 240,000 metric tonnes of Rhodes grass to UAE Market, as well as six per cent  of the Middle East Market.

He mentioned other top exporters of the Pasture hay to the Middle East to include Egypt, UAE, Turkey.

He explained that the rising price of feed concentrates is affecting commercial livestock markets around the world, urging Nigerians to take advantage of this to invest in Rhodes grass to support  producers in the Middle East involved in commercial livestock production who  require affordable feed.

Speaking during the forum, Head of Agric/ Solid Minerals Development,Northern Nigeria,Sterling Bank,Dr Joshua Zira said  the bank  was ready to  propel large and small and medium-scale enterprise (SME) operators in the livestock feed and fodder  sector into the realm of scaleable exports.

He said the bank was supporting dairy farmers in Iseyin in Oyo State and in the North to grow fodder.

He  underscored Nigeria’s need to ensure that domestically produced feeds  secure access to well-structured markets both domestically and internationally.

He  highlighted the need to ensure sustainable feed and fodder production for the development of the livestock sector.

He  also stressed the need for a strong partnership e for feed and fodder production through optimum utilisation of available land and the promotion of value-added fodder technologies.

Senior Manager, Saleh Consulting,Fayo Kayode said  farmers need financing to consistently purchase fodder for their cattle.
She  said her organisation is , bringing transformative changes to the sector by  providing  extensive support and training to  farmers  to enhance milk production.

Nigeria’s exports of  animal fodder may hit $200 million this year, increasing others from the Middle East.

Already, Nigeria’s exports of residues, wastes from food industry, animal fodder was $133.14 million last year, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Turkey alone imported $8.02 million worth of residues, wastes of food industry, and animal fodder from Nigeria last year, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database on international trade.

Details on this emerged during the setting up of a multi-stakeholder platform platform (MSP) for feed and fodder in Nigeria. The  event was organised by African Union InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources,  Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Sterling Bank and other partners.

The  Managing Director Commodity Development Initiative (CDI), Mr Roland Oroh, said his organisation in colloboration with a  group of investors are targeting export of Rhodes grass estimated at $55 billion   to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) this year.

He said CDI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security to  commercially develop Nigeria’s livestock and pasture industries for export markets.

Rhodes grass is high quality forage for livestock producers in the Middle East. It is highly valued as a feed option for livestock, particularly for grazing and hay production.

CDI is implementing Made in Nigeria for Export (MINEx) which seeks to expand selected Nigeria’s export products by 15 per cent annually till 2030 and contribute to achieving the Federal Government $1 trillion gross domestic product (GDP) target.

Oroh, said the target is to achieve $505.6 million by 2029  taking a large share of the Middle East Pasture Hay Market.

According to him, the group has secured an order for 240,000 metric tonnes of Rhodes grass to UAE Market, as well as six per cent  of the Middle East Market.

He mentioned other top exporters of the Pasture hay to the Middle East including Egypt, UAE, Turkey.

He explained that the rising price of feed concentrates is affecting commercial livestock markets around the world, urging Nigerians to take advantage of this to invest in Rhodes grass to support  producers in the Middle East involved in commercial livestock production who  require affordable feed.

Speaking during the forum, Head of Agric/ Solid Minerals Development, Nigeria,Sterling Bank,Dr Joshua Zira said  the bank  was ready to  propel large and small and medium-scale enterprise (SME) operators in the livestock feed and fodder  sector into the realm of scaleable exports.
He said the bank was supporting dairy farmers in Iseyin in Oyo State and in the North to grow fodder.

He  underscored Nigeria’s need to ensure that domestically produced feeds  secure access to well-structured markets both domestically and internationally.

He  highlighted the need to ensure sustainable feed and fodder production for the development of the livestock sector.

He  also stressed the need for a strong partnership e for feed and fodder production through optimum utilisation of available land and the promotion of value-added fodder technologies.

Senior Manager, Saleh Consulting,Fayo Kayode said  farmers need financing to consistently purchase fodder for their cattle.

She  said her organisation is , bringing transformative changes to the sector by  providing  extensive support and training to  farmers  to enhance milk production.