By Francis Akinnodi

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Economic experts have called on government at all levels to create enabling environment for commodity markets to grow both locally and internationally.

In separate interviews with The Hope at the weekend, they said Nigeria was ranked highest in terms of production of agricultural commodities, attributed to its vast and fertile arable lands.

They added that the value addition to the commodities before marketing was the problem.

A financial expert, Gbenga Ogunleye said, “Most of our commodities are exported in their raw forms, thereby robbing the nation of jobs and wealth, which would have been created if they have been processed here in Nigeria.

“It is in recognition of this ugly trend that I urge the government to engage in nurturing and forming national commodity associations across value chain to develop the sector.

“This is to ensure linkage and synergy among the key players in various commodity subsectors as well as to encourage value addition,” he said.

An economist, Sanya Ogunsakin said the Federal Government should be interested in nurturing and establishing associations to build strong institution and human capacity which would contribute to the national growth and development.

“That is central to planning, managing, coordinating and monitoring of activities in the nation’s commodity value chain.

“It is essentially, to capture the need of various stakeholders, such policy makers, producers, in-put and out-put traders, processors and consumers and others involved in business of agric-commodity sector.”