By Simeon Mpamugoh

The President of United Market Association, (UMA) Mazi Okwu Emmanuel, has disclosed that the union was interested in expanding the export of agricultural products to Europe and other continents of the world.
Speaking to journalists on the level of preparedness of the association to grow its business during its end of the year get together in Lagos recently, Emmanuel said that the association wanted to ensure that its members increased their volume of business as plans were ongoing to acquire lands in the North for the cultivation of agricultural products that would be exported to different countries of the world.
He said, “United market association sells, processes and packages food products. Every week we move about two to three containers of agricultural produce out of the market, on route to different parts of the world. We export vegetables, egusi, ogbono, yams and other food products.
“The Federal government wants to assist us to go into farming. We are trying to acquire land from some parts of the North where they have fertile land for farming. If our proposal suceeds, Nigerians in general will benefit from it.
“We have approached the federal government for finance and they are working on our proposal. We also have the privilege of All Progressives Congress (APC) national leader, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu who likes what we are doing and he has been encouraging us, ’Okwu Emmanuel said.
On how the association sources its products from different parts of the country, he said, “We have farms in Ondo, Imo, Rivers, Ekiti, and Ebonyi States. We talk with our members who are interested, we put our money together, pay farmers to farm the land for us and when the products are harvested, process and packaged, we bring them to Lagos,”
Chairman of the association, Mr. Anichebe Festus told journalists that their packaging was one of the best in the world adding, “We are doing very well in the market in terms of packaging.

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Our prices are cheap because we enjoy economy of scale. Our farms in Ikorodu has vegetables all year round. We are ready to expand our business and that is why we want to acquire land in Zamfara State. Talks have reached advanced level with the relevant authorities.” he added. Present at the event included Secretary of the association Williams Nnabuife and Mrs. Calista Onyenakpasaya, treasurer of the association.