Nigeria will enjoy zero per cent tariff on exports of agricultural products to China especially cassava, the Minister of Commerce and Industry, Mallam Aliyu Modibo, has said.

The minister, who was speaking recently in Abuja at a one-day national convention of cassava stakeholders, said the country was poised to promote agricultural products with high export potential.
According to him, the government will promote export through
"Commerce 44'', an initiative of the ministry to export agricultural products with high export potential.
He noted that the convention with the theme: "Sustainability of the
Cassava Initiative Through Public-
Private Sector Partnership'', was aimed at fostering public-private sector partnership in the production, processing and export of cassava products.

He said "Commerce 44'' was an initiative that would allow for effective private sector-lead growth by creating a liberal market-oriented and competitive economic environment that would reposition the country among the developed nations in 2020.
Modibo said the desire of the ministry to promote the production, processing and export of cassava was to meet with its local demand as well as for exports.

He expressed dismay that the 100 million metric tones required for domestic use had not been realised and urged stakeholders in the cassava industry to take full advantage of the ``Commerce 44'' initiative.
"Cassava is truly a wonder crop that has the potential to industrialise Nigeria more than any other crop and if it is properly harnessed, it would be an alternative to oil as a major foreign exchange earner," he said.
Modibo said the cassava initiative had started yielding positive impact as farmers were responding by increasing production with many entrepreneurs investing in the processing of cassava for domestic and export market.
He pointed out that the issues militating against the cassava industry were inadequate publications on the cassava production and trade networks.

He said that lack of knowledge of the use of cassava into varieties of food products, apart from its traditional uses, was another problem.