‘FG should give manufacturers incentives for bouillon cube fortification’ – Daily Trust

Sunday Okoronkwo, Executive Secretary of the Civil Society-Scaling Up Nutrition in Nigeria (CS-SUNN), speaks on Nigeria’s micronutrient deficiency and why the federal government should give tax incentives to manufacturers to make fortified bouillon cube merchandise inexpensive and protected for shoppers.

Nigeria has a voluntary customary for fortifying bouillon cubes with folic acid and vitamin B12, however implementation stays a problem. What should the federal government and manufacturers do to speed up adoption?

Nigeria’s choice of a voluntary customary in 2024 was a step in the precise route. It established a technical pathway for including vitamins, together with iron, zinc, folic acid and vitamin B12, to seasoning cubes.

However, the problem with a voluntary method is that some manufacturers might comply whereas others might not.

There can also be a business consideration. Fortification comes with further prices. A producer that invests in including micronutrients might need to cost extra for its merchandise than a competitor that doesn’t. This may put corporations that comply at a drawback, notably in a price-sensitive market comparable to Nigeria.

Consequently, some manufacturers could also be reluctant to fortify their merchandise, even after they perceive the potential public well being advantages.

I imagine it’s time for Nigeria to maneuver from voluntary to necessary bouillon cube fortification. Given the nation’s excessive malnutrition burden and the prevalence of anaemia amongst girls of reproductive age, we’d like a extra constant method that ensures shoppers can entry these important vitamins.

Mandatory fortification would additionally create a stage enjoying area for manufacturers. If all corporations producing bouillon cubes are required to satisfy the identical fortification requirements, no firm can be commercially deprived just because it chooses to conform.

However, the federal government should complement this coverage with sensible assist for manufacturers. It should contemplate tax incentives, together with decreasing or eradicating taxes on nutrient premixes and different important fortification inputs.

These measures may assist cut back manufacturing prices and stop fortified merchandise from turning into too costly for low-income households.

Affordability is essential. Bouillon cubes are extensively consumed in Nigeria, together with by poorer households. If fortification considerably will increase costs, some shoppers might cut back their consumption or cease shopping for the merchandise altogether. That would undermine the very public well being goal the coverage is meant to realize.

The authorities should subsequently stability necessary fortification with incentives that encourage compliance whereas maintaining merchandise accessible.

Beyond making fortification necessary, what regulatory measures are wanted to make sure manufacturers adjust to the requirements?

Enforcement is essential. It isn’t sufficient to require manufacturers to fortify their merchandise; the federal government should guarantee they really achieve this and that the merchandise meet the required requirements.

Regulatory authorities should confirm that the vitamins declared on product labels are genuinely current within the merchandise and that the portions meet the prescribed specs.

Manufacturers should additionally present correct info on their labels so shoppers know what they’re shopping for.

This requires efficient monitoring, testing and enforcement of present regulatory requirements. If an organization claims that its product has been fortified, there should be a dependable mechanism for confirming that declare.

At the identical time, the federal government should work with the non-public sector to deal with the price of fortification. Enforcement alone is probably not adequate if manufacturers face important monetary obstacles to compliance.

A mix of necessary requirements, credible monitoring, tax incentives and inexpensive entry to nutrient premixes would offer a extra sustainable method.

Our goal should be to cut back malnutrition and enhance the well being of girls and youngsters, whereas guaranteeing that manufacturers can comply with out making fortified merchandise unaffordable.

One argument towards bouillon cube fortification is that these merchandise already comprise salt, and growing their consumption may worsen sodium consumption and lift the danger of hypertension and different non-communicable illnesses. How do you reply to this concern?

That is one aspect of the argument, and it’s important to not dismiss it. Excessive sodium consumption is a public well being concern as a result of it will probably contribute to hypertension and different non-communicable illnesses.

However, we should additionally contemplate the opposite aspect of the argument. Bouillon cubes are already extensively consumed in Nigeria, so they provide a chance to ship important micronutrients by means of a well-known meals product.

The purpose of fortification is to not encourage individuals to eat extra bouillon cubes or improve their salt consumption. It is to enhance the dietary worth of a product individuals already use.

Moderation and public schooling are subsequently important. People want to grasp how a lot seasoning to make use of and how one can cut back extreme sodium consumption. For instance, somebody who habitually makes use of two cubes in a meal might be able to use one as an alternative, relying on the recipe and dietary wants.

Manufacturers should additionally adjust to acceptable technical and regulatory requirements when incorporating micronutrients into their merchandise. Fortification should be carried out in a manner that considers each dietary advantages and potential well being dangers.

Public schooling should accompany the coverage so shoppers perceive the significance of moderation and wholesome dietary practices.

Ultimately, the dialogue should contemplate each the dangers related to extreme sodium consumption and the potential advantages of addressing widespread micronutrient deficiencies. These issues should be managed collectively moderately than treating them as mutually unique.

Nigeria can not afford to disregard the chance to enhance vitamin, notably amongst girls and youngsters who might not have entry to a sufficiently numerous weight loss plan.

The precedence should be to develop a accountable fortification programme that follows established requirements, maintains product affordability, displays compliance and educates shoppers about wholesome consumption.