A ban on Nigeria-made hibiscus flowers has left many exporters ‘technically’ out of business, as the ban of the product by the Mexican government is yet to be lifted.
This has caused job loss in the agriculture value chain, even as many farmers depend on cultivation of the product for survival. The President of the Association of Hibiscus Flower Exporters of Nigeria (AHFEN), Mr Tunji Lawal, said to get the ban lifted, Mexico has stipulated standards.
“It is almost done but not done yet. We hope that it should be lifted, but as it is now, it will take some time. For the trial shipment, we have to give a 30-day notice. They will receive it to check if it is okay before the ban can be lifted. The shipment will also take like two months. From these indications, the trial shipment would not be lifted anytime soon,” he said.
