The Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has called on soybean growers and processors to invest in its value chain to remain competitive in the global market.

NEPC Northwest Regional Coordinator, Mrs Amina Abdulmalik, made the call on Thursday in Kano, at a technical support workshop organised by the council for soybean growers and processors.

Abdulmalik said that the workshop with the theme, “Importance and Benefits of Soybeans Value Chain”, was organised to encourage farmers, processors and other stakeholders to explore opportunities in the commodity’s value chain.

“We are here to educate farmers and processors on how to move beyond producing raw soyabeans to processing them into products that attract greater value in both domestic and international markets,” she said.

This, according to her, will position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global market.

She said that beyond household consumption, soybean has enormous economic potential, describing it as a “key raw material” for food, livestock feed, pharmaceutical and manufacturing industries.

She said adopting the value chain approach would strengthen production, processing, marketing and exports, while creating more value for farmers and processors.

Abdulmalik pointed out that many growers in Kano produce soybeans in large quantities but were yet to take advantage of the value chain’s enormous opportunities.

Describing soyabeans as one of the country’s “strategic export commodities”, the coordinator reiterated the commission’s commitment to promoting non-oil exports as a strategy for diversifying Nigeria’s economy.

She said that about 100 countries use soybeans for various condiments and industrial purposes.

She argued that investing in the crop’s value chain would earn Nigeria more money than what it could earn by just exporting it to other countries.

“Let us work collectively to strengthen the soybeans value chain, empower our farmers and processors and position Nigeria as a competitive player in the global market.

“I want all participants to key into the value chain approach by learning how to process their soybeans into several other products. This will earn them more money,” Abdulmalik said.