Mango growers plan six juice processing plants in 2021

The National Association of Mango Producers, Processors and Traders of Nigeria (NAMPPMAN) has announced that it will establish six juice processing plants in the country.

The association’s national president, Alhaji Abdulkadir Nasir, revealed this in an interview with the Nigeria News Agency (NAN) Thursday in Abuja.

Nasir said the association will partner with stakeholders in the mango value chain to establish the fruit processing factories in the six geopolitical zones of the country.

He expressed concern at the current low level of production of 800,000 metric tons per year and stressed that the fruit juice factories would address the huge post-harvest losses experienced in mango production in the country.

“We want to see that we establish at least six mega juice factories across the country.

“This is why we are talking to various players who are in the processing or manufacturing of juices and concentrates so that, through the association, they can become buyers that our farmers produce.

“That’s what we want to do this year; we want to promote six mega juice processing factories for buyers who process mangoes.

“Already there is a very large window for mango production but not without challenges because most of the mangoes we have are wild mangoes which can only be eaten in Nigeria,” he said.

Nasir, who stressed the need to increase extension services in competitive mango production, urged government agencies to pay more attention to the role of extension workers.

He also requested support to overcome the challenges of certification and standardization.

“During production, care is not taken to standardize and before exporting, you have to standardize, you have to sort and maintain a good level of good agricultural production practices to be in accordance with the international certification standard,” said Nasir.

He said the association would also involve a total of 3,600 women in the country in the production of mango chips or small mango juice factories.

According to him, 100 women will be selected in each state.

Nasir pointed out that Nigeria has the capacity to increase production from the current level through constant training of farmers and other stakeholders in the product value chain.

“Mango is not a new crop; I haven’t seen anyone who doesn’t like the fruit.

“It might not be your favourite fruit, but I haven’t seen anyone who has a mango phobia and we want to see that every part of the country comes together in the production, processing and marketing of mango, ”Nasir said.