Nigerians may soon be importing yam for local consumption from China, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), Ernest Umakihe, has said.
Umakihe stated this while speaking at a stakeholder’s workshop on repositioning yam as an export crop.
He lamented that despite accounting for 67% of global yam output, it was unfortunate that Nigeria is nowhere on the map of yam exporting countries.
He expressed concerns that with China delving into yam exportation, and considering Nigerian’s taste for imported goods, Chinese yam may soon be found in Nigeriankitchensn if care is not taken, thereby pushing more Nigerians into the unemployment market and reducing the income of yam farmers.
