How FG can tackle smuggling of agric produce —Dangote

An agro-businessman, Alhaji Sani Dangote, has advised the Federal Government to put in place fresh policies that will bring lasting solution to the problem of smuggling of agricultural products into the country.

Dangote, President, Nigerian Agibusiness Group, NABG, gave the advice in an interview with Vanguard, yesterday, in Abuja. He said such step would lower interest rates, make more funding available for food production, and incentivize local farmers and local agro-industries to process Nigerian farm produce.The agro-businessman said there were lots of bottlenecks affecting the funding for primary agricultural production in the long or medium term periods and these factors hinder government’s success in the fight against smuggling of agricultural products into the country. He said: “What government should do most importantly is to bring in the right policies that will incentivize local productivity, lower interest rates, make more funding available, incentivize the local farmers and agro-industries to process our own local products. “Government should also bring development tariffs and levies against those groups that are still making problem for our local capacity building.  All areas where we have a local-capacity, government should look at it as necessary areas to encourage and incentivize.”