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Agro allied firm promotes Nigerian gluten-free products, exports overseas

By Margaret Mwantok
28 August 2018   |   3:02 am
In line with the Federal Government’s initiative to diversify the revenue stream of the country and improve economic growth, the sorghum malting plants in Africa, Food, Agro & Allied Industries Limited, has expanded its exportation drive to New Zealand with its made in Nigeria Malt extracts. While speaking at the recent inauguration ceremony in Sango-Otta,…

Human Resources Manager, SONA Group Soji Fagbemi; Managing Director, Food, Agro & Allied industries Ltd, Mr. KVS Murthy; Chairman, SONA Group, Mr. Arjan Mirchandani, Legal Adviser, SONA Group, Mr. Joseph Tawio Oguniyi; Assistant Chief Standards Officer, SON, Ogun State Office Michael Olayiwola Ajagbonna; Mr. Ajai Musaddi, and Chief. Adekanbi Williams; Mr. Devanshu Seth, Group Marketing Head during Food, Agro Allied Industries inauguration of malt extract exportation to New Zealand in Ogun State

In line with the Federal Government’s initiative to diversify the revenue stream of the country and improve economic growth, the sorghum malting plants in Africa, Food, Agro & Allied Industries Limited, has expanded its exportation drive to New Zealand with its made in Nigeria Malt extracts.

While speaking at the recent inauguration ceremony in Sango-Otta, Ogun State, Chairman of Sona Group, Mr. Arjan Mirchandani, said the company was committed to promoting 100 per cent local content and would not rest on its oars in ensuring that made in Nigeria products are readily available to consumers.

“This exportation to New Zealand is the first of Food, Agro & Allied Industries, as we intend to continue to produce made in Nigeria products for exportation,” he said.

“Very soon we will be introducing rice flour and corn production that will be exported as well.

We are encouraged by government agencies to produce standard and quality products.

Nigerians are intelligent people; if you pay money you must have your value and that’s what Sona Group is all about.

We offer value that is expected from locally made products.”

State Coordinator of Standards Organization of Nigeria (SON), Ayuba Samuel Ushe, commended the company for the bold step in keying into government’s initiative to drive export and foreign investment.

Ushe, who was represented at the inauguration by Mr. Michael Ajagbonna, said the event was a landmark achievement for the company and the country at large.

According to him, the step taken by Sona Group is an indication that the nation is moving towards a self-sufficient economy, adding, “It means that the country is turning around in respect to quality and in terms of global dynamism.

It will serve as foreign investment for us because people will starts having confidence in what we have in our country and at the same time foreign currency exchange will improve. This exportation is a plus for the NIgeria.”

Managing Director, Food, Agro & Allied Industries, Mr. KVS Murthy, submitted that this product is 100 per cent local sorghum and proudly Made-in-Nigeria.

He stated that the new development at the company would help Nigeria reduce its dependence on imported goods.

Murthy stressed the uniqueness of the product, saying, ‘By using this product you are reducing the intake of sugar; this product is used as sweetener in some products.

It is used in some beverage, and biscuits companies also use it to reduce sugar and promote local content. Most importantly, it is gluten-free.”

He stated that farmers that feed the country needed to be supported by both the private and public sectors, stating, “We engage in backward integration, a practice where Sona Group cultivates its own raw materials by purchasing from suppliers and establishing farmers to grow produce for our factories; even the drums and pallets are made by our group company, which encourages value chain.”

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