The Cowpea and Beans Farmers, Processors, and Marketers Association of Nigeria (C&BFPMAN) has dismissed recent allegations that its members use cement to preserve beans, describing the claims as misleading and damaging to the industry.
The association’s national president said the viral video circulating on social media, which shows young boys mixing beans with a substance resembling cement, does not reflect the practices of genuine bean farmers or processors.
He explained that no legitimate member of the association engages in such acts, stressing that the group is committed to international best practices in food preservation.
According to him, the association has already phased out the use of additives in bean preservation. Instead, farmers now rely on thick nylon bags placed inside sacks, which create airtight packaging that prevents insects and weevils from infesting the produce.
He further noted that when necessary, members use a health-safe additive called Topstoxin, applied in small quantities within bean sacks, to protect older stock from weevil damage. In some cases, dried pepper is also sealed inside the bags as an organic alternative.
Highlighting the safety measures, he emphasized that the use of cement would be both harmful and impractical, since consumers would easily detect it and reject the products.
“Our survival depends on trust,” he said. “We will never engage in harmful practices that would endanger public health or ruin the reputation of Nigeria’s beans in local and international markets.”
