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The Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service (NAQS) said that Nigeria would resume the export of hibiscus, popularly known as Zobo, to Mexico.<\/p>\n
Dr Vincent Isegbe, the Coordinating Director, NAQS, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Abuja.<\/p>\n
He said that in 2017, Nigeria exported 1,983 containers of hibiscus to Mexico alone and earned $ 35 million within nine months of that year.<\/p>\n
He added that NAQS had initially suspended the export following the detection of storage pest in some consignments from Nigeria.<\/p>\n
\u201dThe issue has now been taken care of. That is why we are resuming the export of the plant again.\u201d<\/p>\n
He noted that the issue was resolved in collaboration with stakeholders across the value chain, adding that Mexico is the largest importer of Nigerian hibiscus.<\/p>\n
\u201cNigeria is ready to resume export of the plant to Mexico. In a couple of weeks, we will resume shipments.<\/p>\n
\u201dOur farmers are eager and the fields are near ready. The harvest season of hibiscus will start any moment from now.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the good news is that Nigeria has a vast growing belt, with harvest available all year round.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe need to take advantage of this opportunity to earn foreign exchange for the country and support the present administration\u2019s diversification of the economy,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Isegbe, however, called on farmers to show more commitment to growing the plant in order to increase their income.<\/p>\n
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