EU and AFLATOXIN IN NIGERIA   :  MISINFORMATION AND INTERNATIONAL TRADE

About 1 year ago it was reported in virtually all Nigerian newspapers and even social media that 6 crops from Nigeria had been banned from entering Europe for the next 12 months … ending June 30 2016. The offence was AFLATOXIN and PESTICIDE contents at levels higher than acceptable. And that this i9nfraction had been repeated over time sometimes warranting alerts and warnings from the importing countries . It was a sad new and a source of worry for the mycotoxicologists, commodity exporters and  farmers  as well as other stakeholders. Even legislators were reported to concerned about the ‘6 crops’ that it was raised on the floor of the legislature.

However,  you will be shocked to read that

1 Such ban on 6(six) Nigerian  crops was a FRAUD. It never happened. The dishonest publication must be disregarded, at least to put the record straight—for the benefit of the academia, health sector and international trade

2 AFLATOXIN was never implicated in  any ban  even though Nigeria has been having a running battle in that direction over the years. I am aware of RASFF notices on some export items e. g melon.

3 Only 1 (one) crop was involved—-DRIED BEANS. The EU parliament , in the original document made available to SFFF, was clear on this

4 Only 1(one) contaminant –Dichlorvos –was involved and implicated

QUESTIONS

1 Where did the original false information come from ?  Who sponsored it? Who made the Press release?

2 What was the intention of the author(s) of the misleading document?

3 All of the crops earlier listed –beans, sesame, groundnut , palm oil, meat and fish products and melon are the main focus of an average Nigerian farmers/exporter

4 Why was AFLATOXIN mentioned when the EU did not talk about it?

5 Was there any attempt by  solution providers to embarrass Nigeria by ‘criminalizing’ Aflatoxin and making Nigeria culpable in the eyes of the world? …..  so as to make their products sell at all costs?

6 Is there no need to express discretion and circumspection in handling comments  and reports  that are capable of affecting the quality and export value of our agricultural commodities?

7 Is the name ‘aflatoxin’ now a franchise in Nigeria  and perhaps beyond?

=NIGERIA  MUST  BE PROTECTED AND PROMOTED  BY NIGERIANS….AT ALL TIMES AND ON ALL ISSUES=

D F

12 May 2016