FG to produce 7m tonnes of rice in 2018

Nigerian Govt targets 7m tonnes of local rice production in 2018.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed says the Federal Government targets 7 million tonnes of rice production in 2018.

Mohammed, who made this disclosure at a media briefing on Wednesday in Abuja, said rice demand in the country as at 2015 was 6.3 million tonnes, adding that importation of rice dropped from 644,131 tonnes in 2015 to about 21,000 tonnes in 2017 due to the achievement of the administration in local rice production.

According to the minister, some investors from Thailand plans to establish rice milling plants in Nigeria due to the success recorded in local rice production.

“A few years ago, this would not have been possible since Nigeria was not considered a top rice producing country. Today, Nigeria is one of the largest producers of rice,” he asserted.

He said that the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, initiated by President Muhammadu Buhari, designed to support farmers through inputs distribution and loans to boost rice production led to the improvement in rice production.

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“The increased rice production had, in turn, led to the establishment of rice mills, including the 120,000-tonne WACOT Mill in Kebbi and the one-million-tonne Dangote Rice Mill. Locally-produced rice is safer, tastier and healthier,” he said.

On why the price of locally-produced rice was still high, the minister said that the increased production would eventually reduce the price, adding that importing rice was cheaper than growing it locally, but that government would not allow Nigeria to become a dumping ground for imported and expired rice.

The minister therefore, assured Nigerians that with the interest of foreign investors in the local production of rice in the country, the government would take pro-active measures to protect the interest of local farmers.