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Produce Testing: Agric Dept Wants Laboratory
calendar08-04-2014 | linkNigerian Observer | Share This Post:

08/04/2014 (Nigerian Observer) - To boost Edo State Government potential in the area of produce, the Director of Produce Services, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Mr. Philip Efe Ogieriakhi has said that the department is in dire need of a laboratory.

He made the remark weekend while speaking at the award and prize giving day of the department, saying that the laboratory will ensure export quality standard for exportable produce such as cocoa, palm kernel, cashew nuts, palm oil, among others.

He noted that besides ensuring exportable quality, such a laboratory will help to eliminate food that is harmful and injurious to the body.

Mr. Ogieriakhi also called for seals for grading cocoa, palm kernel and cashew nuts as well as palm oil tester for use by the department.

While thanking the retirees for their services to government, the Director asserted that training and retraining on a regular basis are needed to put staff of the department on sound footing to boost productivity and efficiency.

He however, urged the staff of the department to be dedicated to their duties and make sincerity their watchword in carrying out their assignments.

In a paper presented to mark the occasion, tagged: “The Desirable need of Edo Government to address the update, certification and training of the produce inspector and officers in Edo State,” Raphael Edemakhiota Ogbomo noted that as intra industries and commercial use of agricultural harvest increases, the need for expansion of scheduled agricultural produce to be regulated by international quality standard will increase.

“The Department should today be able to advise the ministry and by extension the government before the reality may dawn that may leave the industrialist to confront government,” he stated.

According to him, Edo State is a haven for all agricultural produce with cocoa produced in nine out of the 12 months in a year, adding that if properly ranked, Edo State would be the second largest producer of cocoa in Nigeria.

The highlight of the occasion was the presentation of awards to Dr. Rapheal Imuetinyan Ogbomo, Mr. Godfrey Osarobo Alile, Mr. Roland Sadoh, Sir, Clement Ehiaghe (KSJI) and Mr. Festus A. Okonga.