Killer Beans: SON Issues New Standards for Beans Production

The Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has given highlights in line with the Nigerian Industrial Standards (NIS) Codes of Practices for beans seed planting across the country.

The Director General of SON, Osita Aboloma, in a statement commended a consumer for reporting a beans vendor who preserved beans with pesticide, stated that the standards are relevant NIS and Codes of Practice for beans along the value chain in order to take care of issues concerning the proper preservation of the crop from planting to the table, while also assuring the safety of consumers.

He enumerated the Standard and Codes of Practice as follows; Standard for Dry Beans (NIS 1030: 2018)

Code of Good Agricultural Practice: Planting of Dry Beans (NCP 065: 2018) and Code of Good Practice: Harvesting of Dry Beans (NCP 067: 2018).

Code of Practice for Packaging of Dry Beans (NCP 064: 2018) and Code of Practice: Storage and Transportation of Dry Beans (NCP 066: 2018).

The SON helmsman urged Nigerians to take greater interest in their welfare by reporting to relevant regulatory and security agencies any suspected unwholesome, sub-standard or life-endangering products or practices.

He, however, commended the consumer who reported to the police the beans vendor who was using a pesticide to preserve the crop for sale.

According to him, such individual and collective awareness by consumers in general are essential for effective standards implementation and enforcement in Nigeria.

He pointed out that the standard and codes of practices, which have been approved for use by the Standards Council, were results of consensus decisions by stakeholders, including, farmers, processors, Federal Ministry of Agriculture officials, regulatory agencies, academicians, research institutes, consumer advocates among others, while SON officials provide the secretariat.