Benue Activates Benfruit Plant via BIPC to Tackle ₦3.5trn Post-Harvest Losses

The Benue State Government has taken a decisive step to curb agricultural waste by establishing Benfruit Juice, a state-backed processing facility aimed at tackling Nigeria’s massive ₦3.5 trillion post-harvest losses, BusinessDay reports.

Benue State, widely recognized as the "Food Basket of the Nation," is one of Nigeria's largest producers of fruits like oranges, mangoes, and cashew nuts. However, due to a severe lack of processing facilities, cold storage, and reliable transport networks, local farmers have historically watched a staggering percentage of their seasonal harvests rot in the fields every year.

By launching Benfruit Juice, the state government intends to directly address this infrastructure gap. The processing plant will purchase excess fruit directly from local farming communities, converting perishable harvests into high-quality fruit juices and concentrates for the domestic and regional markets.

State officials and agricultural experts note that this intervention will do more than just cut down on food waste. The facility is expected to stabilize market prices for farmers, guarantee steady agricultural incomes, create hundreds of direct and indirect jobs within the state, and reduce Nigeria's reliance on imported fruit juice concentrates, saving vital foreign exchange.