Oyo State Govt & Odu’a Move To Tackle Food Export Challenges

The Oyo State Ministry of Trade, Industry, Investment, and Cooperatives, is set to collaborate with the Odu’a Cooperative Conglomerate Limited to tackle challenges faced in locally produced foods in the State.

The collaboration is also expected to encourage efforts to unlock the food value chain for effective transformation.

The Commissioner for Trade, Industry, Investment, and Cooperatives, Adeniyi Adebisi, made this known on Saturday during a visit to Odu’a Cooperative Conglomerate Limited, Ilesa, Osun State.

He said the government will address some issues on irregularities in the exportation of food, and other important issues.

Adebisi said the visit is aimed at evaluating the factory’s operations, exploring exportation opportunities, and assessing the cooperative’s registration status, scope of operation, and product quality.

According to Honourable Adebisi, “The Oyo State Government is committed to promoting agricultural development, food processing, and economic growth in the region. We believe that the Odu’a Cooperative Conglomerate Limited has the potential to play a significant role in achieving this goal.”

He emphasized the need for the cooperative to synergize with the Nigeria Export Promotion Council to promote locally produced foods for international consumption.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Olajide Okesade, pointed at the need for quality assurance and export destination standard to ease the concept of opening up the local product for exportation.

He encouraged the cooperative to focus on improving product quality, meeting international standards, and obtaining necessary certifications.

The Acting General Manager of the cooperative, Mr. Kayode Oloruntobi, expressed the cooperative’s willingness to collaborate with the Oyo State Government to boost exportation of locally produced foods.

The Odu’a Cooperative Conglomerate Limited is a regional cooperative society formed by the six southwestern states of Nigeria, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun and Lagos, with the aim of promoting agricultural development, food processing, and economic growth in the region.

The cooperative has undergone significant transformations over the years, including modernizing equipment, improving management practices, and diversifying products.