By Emma Okereh
Nigeria and Mexico, on Friday, 4th November, 2022, signed a phytosanitary protocol to stabilize and grow the export of Nigerian hibiscus flowers (zobo) to Mexico.
A statement by the head, media, communication and strategies of the Service, Dr Chigozie Nwodo and made available to The Authority, explained that at the signing ceremony of the Hibiscus Work Plan held at SENASICA Headquarters, Mexico City, Mexico, leader of the federal government delegation and Comptroller General, Nigeria Agricultural Quarantine Service, (NAQS), Dr. Vincent Isegbe, noted that the framework is designed to ‘’future-proof bilateral trade in hibiscus between Nigeria and the largest importer of Nigerian hibiscus against avoidable disruptions.’’ He described the deal as a win-win for both countries as it will protect commerce on the supply side and demand side. Dr. Isegbe pointed out that the Work Plan offers Nigeria and Mexico a chance to place their bilateral trade ‘’on the upward trajectory of higher and higher export volumes and values.’’
The Comptroller General stressed that NAQS considers the Hibiscus Work Plan more than paper and ink. According to him, ”NAQS sees the Hibiscus Work Plan as the potential token of security for thousands of livelihoods that are meaningfully engaged in the hibiscus value chain”.
He regretted that the suspension of the export of Nigerian hibiscus for nearly three (3) years caused protracted dislocations in business-to-business activities around hibiscus. However, NAQS has made lemonade out of lemons by using the period of the suspension to address the proximate cause of the suspension of export, which is the Khapra beetle infestation. He reported that NAQS collaborated with stakeholders to strengthen self-regulation mechanisms among farmers, offtakers and exporters in order to deepen the culture of quality compliance from the farm to the port. In addition, NAQS has tightened inspection and certification measures on outbound hibiscus. He also mentioned that the agency, with the support of the Federal Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development, is helping to facilitate the building of fumigation chambers in the hibiscus production hotspots in Nigeria.
Dr. Isegbe said that the federal government of Nigeria is looking to expand its phytosanitary cooperation with Mexico beyond hibiscus. In his words: ‘’A mono-product trade relationship is the least-optimal scenario for Nigeria and Mexico. Having cemented this Work Plan, Nigeria and Mexico should take the next logical step to build a resilient, mutually rewarding, and multi-product agro-trade partnership. The people and economies of the two countries stand to gain more from exploring new vistas of wealth-creation possibilities in the Nigeria/Mexico trade relationship.
In his response, the Executive Director of SENASICA, the national agricultural quarantine authority of Mexico, Dr. Francisco Javier Arriaga, expressed happiness at the fruition of the Hibiscus Work Plan, saying that the protocol represents a new chapter in Mexico-Nigeria trade.
Dr. Arriaga pledged that SENASICA will work with NAQS to evolve product multiplicity in the Nigeria/Mexico agricultural trade traffic.
The signing ceremony was witnessed by the Ambassador of Nigeria to Mexico, Rt. Hon. Adejare Bello, and senior officials of the Embassy of Nigeria to Mexico.
