Yobe sesame farmers excited about new processing hubs

Sesame farmers in Yobe State have expressed happiness with the establishment of sesame processing plants for standard packaging and export to global markets.

The farmers said the processing plants and farm inputs would raise annual sesame production in the state to over 60,000 tonnes.

The processing plants are expected to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state.

Daily Trust gathered that the state government expended N3.5bn in building four ultra-modern sesame seeds cleansing, processing and packaging factories in Machina, Potiskum, Nguru and Damaturu LGAs.

Rabiu Adamu, a sesame farmer in Machina, told Daily Trust that some farmers and traders were mixing the sesame seeds with sand to increase their weight.

He expressed optimism that with the newly constructed sesame processing centres, sesame farmers in Nigeria had an advantage due to demand and supply mismatch, coupled with good pricing.

He said, “This habit of adulteration of the grains is quite unfortunate, this is purely economic sabotage, and we will not allow our local sesame farmers to indulge in such unpatriotic act.

‘‘The construction of these industries will encourage more people to cultivate sesame because the market has been brought to their doorsteps. Yobe and Northern sesame farmers have an advantage due to demand and supply mismatch, coupled with pricing.’’

Kabir Umar, a sesame farmer, told Daily Trust that the establishment of the industries was timely, Yobe being one of the producers of sesame seed in the country, but that its farmers were taking their seeds to other states for cleaning and processing.

He said, “We are the major producer of sesame crops in the country, but should we take it somewhere? This is the reason why we are thanking the state government for establishing them.

‘’We are calling on farmers from other parts of the country to come and take advantage of this industry, to clean, process and package their seeds for exportation.’’

Another sesame farmer in Machina, Bashir Muhammad, told Daily Trust that the industries would stop exporting jobs out of Yobe State, noting that farmers were taking their sesame seeds to Kano and other neighbouring states to clean the seeds.

He said, ‘‘With these industries, we will stop exporting jobs out of Yobe State, because when you harvest your sesame, you have to take the seeds to another state to clean in some industries out of the state.

‘‘Once you do the cleaning here, you provide jobs to both youths and women, and they (industries) would also maintain the standards to meet the quality parameters of the destination market to prevent rejection at the delivery locations.

‘‘As you know, sesame is being cultivated in Nguru, Geidam, Bursari, Machina, Jakusko, Tarmuwa, Yusufari, Potiskum, Yunusari, Damaturu, Nangere, Gashu’a, Gujba and Gulani, and most of the sesame seeds are exported and marketed to Qatar, South Korea and other global market spaces.

‘‘These industries are expected to reposition Yobe as one big supplier of sesame seeds and to engender integration, create wealth and gainful employment jobs for our teeming youths and improve the IGR for the state.”

Speaking to journalists while conducting a media tour in one of the completed industries, the Commissioner for Commerce, Industry and Tourism, Hon Kaigama Umar, said, ‘‘Yobe State is the largest producer of sesame seeds in this country, but before the advent of this present administration, our farmers found it very difficult to clean, process and package their products, as all the processes were done locally and were hectic.

“The one here in Machina, as you can see, can process and package six tonnes per hour. The motive behind establishing these factories, I reiterate, is in line with Governor Mai Mala Buni’s commitment to provide job opportunities, generate revenue and enhance economic development across Yobe State.”