***15 containers of hibiscus rejected in Mexico
***48-hour cargo clearance stretches to three weeks in Nigeria
By Cynthia Alo
Nigeria’s agricultural exports suffered a sharp 31.2 per cent decline in the first quarter of 2026 (Q1’26) as prolonged port delays, excessive pesticide application, outdated chemical preservatives and failure to obtain required phytosanitary certification combined to trigger increasing rejection of the country’s farm produce in international markets.
Latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, showed that agricultural exports declined to N1.172 trillion in Q1’26 from N1.704 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
