French Expo to Support Diversification of Nigeria’s Economy

Crusoe Osagie

With the plummeting crude oil price at the international market leaving Nigeria with no choice than to diversify its economy away from oil, a french expo aimed at driving the growth and development of the nation’s livestock industry, will help to boost performance of the nation’s agricultural sector organisers have said.

According to a statement issued to THISDAY by organisers of the international fora, Promosalons Nigeria, the expo will provide ample opportunities for Nigeria’s livestock farmers to interact with professionals in the industry from more developed economies, in order to equip them with latest technologies and equipments to guarantee higher yields in livestock business, leading to increased profit.

The Managing Director, Promosalons Nigeria, Mr. Akin Akinbola, stated that the fair is one out of many ways to help Nigeria expand its revenue base for foreign exchange, saying that the agricultural sector is the largest employer of labour creating employment and wealth for the nation.

The french expo scheduled to hold from September 15 to 18, 2015, in Rennes, France, is expected to place Nigeria as the country of central focus of this year’s fair due to nation’s huge livestock industry.

Akinbola said the event is the perfect serene atmosphere to rub minds and exchange ideas and make contact with other professionals in the livestock industry worldwide, in order to guarantee higher yields in livestock business, leading to enhanced productivity.

He said: “All sectors of the livestock industry and many more will be covered at this trade show including poultry, pig production, rabbit, cattle, sheep, goat, as well as a full range of services for animal feed and nutrition, livestock equipment, livestock materials, genetics, energy, livestock effluent treatment, animal health and milking.”

He added that the expo will once again be a major French and international trade show for livestock farmers and all professionals involved in animal production, offering a highly diverse and comprehensive range of products, services and events.

Akinbola noted that the upcoming event is the 29th edition and over the past three years, has seen steady growth, each year surpassing the previous year in terms of total number of exhibitors, rented space, total number of visitors and number of foreign visitors.

“It is therefore likely that 2014 records will be broken again this year with 1,407 exhibitors registered as of July 16 and 61,400 m2, almost 2,000 m2 more than in 2014 at the same date. There are 469 foreign exhibitors from 35 different countries, some thirty more than in May 2014. This surge of foreign exhibitors is particularly noticeable in the animal feed and poultry sectors. New exhibitor numbers are also up,” he added.

He stated that the confidence in the quality of the expo remains very high, maintaining that the quality of the event and the dialogue contacts made are the key to its steady growth.

Akinbola pointed out that the fair’s international reputation continues to grow with 13,350 international visitors in 2014 with a thousand more than the previous year, pointing out that the diverse backgrounds of foreign visitors increased to118 countries compared to 110 in 2013.

Promosalons Nigeria said the Nigerian delegation to this year’s event will comprise of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria ( AFAN)

Olabosco Agro Farms, Sayed Farms Limited, Hybrid Feeds Limited, Vinmels Limited, Davest Chemicals, Ademola Adeleke Farms limited and many more.