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Tag: rice

  • Emefiele hails Kebbi rice farmers

    Emefiele hails Kebbi rice farmers

    Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Godwin Emefiele has inspected rice farms in Itane, Ketar Fulani and Gwadan Gwaji villages in Kebbi State.

    Emefiele, who expressed satisfaction with the farmers’ yield, said the major objectives of the Anchor Borrowers’Programme (ABP) had been largely achieved.

    The objectives of the ABP include assisting rural smallholder farmers to grow from subsistence to commercial level, increase capacity utilisation, create jobs, reduce poverty, and increase banks’ finance to the agricultural sector, among others.

    Emefiele, who was accompanied by Kebbi State Governor Atiku Abubakar Bagudu, and the representative of the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said ABP was yielding result due to farmers’ access to good seedlings, pesticides and fertiliser as well as support from states.

    Emefiele urged farmers to always forward their challenges to the bank and other authorities for quick solution, even as he assured them of the continued support of the CBN. He enjoined the media to inspect rice farms and report objectively.

    Noting that the refusal of some farmers to register for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) had militated against their getting access to the ABP facility, he urged them to register accordingly. He also assured that the ABP facility would be spread to many people who registered for the BVN.

    Senator Bagudu, the Chairman, National Task Force on Rice and Wheat, said the objective of the tour was to see how farmers and processors were responding to the call  by President Muhammadu Buhari as well as the impact of funds provided under the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP).

  • Customs PRO denies report on reverse of rice ban

    Customs PRO denies report on reverse of rice ban

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has not reversed the ban on  rice.

    Its Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr. Wale Adeniyi, a Deputy-Comptroller, was reacting to a report which  indicated that the Customs had reversed the ban on rice import through land borders.

    Adeniyi, in a statement in Abuja, denied the reports which allegedly emanated from him, saying he never issued such a statement.

    He said the reports which were published last weekend were the ones he granted last October.

    Adeniyi said the service suspected that some forces behind rice smuggling were at work, recycling old reports under a different circumstance to create confusion.

    “It is necessary to restate the true position in view of the confusion, which these publications may create in the industry. It is even more expedient to provide this clarification, given that the service has taken a firm position earlier in the week through a joint news conference with stakeholders.

    “We like to reiterate the position that importation of rice remains banned through our land borders and we have the commitment of partner government agencies and stakeholders to enforce this restriction,” Adeniyi said.

    He added that while the restriction is in force, rice imports through the ports are still allowed, subject to payment of extant charges.

    “The service will, therefore, advocate a total ban on rice importation into Nigeria with effect from 2017.  It is our belief that continuous waste of scarce Foreign Exchange (forex) on a commodity that can be produced locally makes no economic sense, most especially at a period of recession,” Adeniyi stated.

    Nigeria spends $2 billion yearly on riceimportation.President Muhammadu Buhari, who made this known recently in Abuja, said to achieve domestic self-sufficiency in rice and other staples by 2018, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had been mobilised to encourage local production of rice, maize, sorghum, millet and soya beans.

    The president said farmers in 13 out of 36 states were receiving credit support through the CBN’s Anchor Borrowers Programme.

    This must have encouraged Adeniyi to restate the confidence that customs had in the ability of Nigerian Rice Producers (NRP) to fill the sufficiency gaps in the supply of the product.

    According to him, Customs had noted the ongoing rice revolution undertaken by many state governments and strategic interventions by Federal Government agencies.

    He said the service was convinced that the bumper harvests expected from these efforts will address the supply gap next year, urging Nigerians to watch out for similar antics as the stand on rice smuggling would pitch their selfish interest against national interest.

  • Downturn: Niger grows own rice

    Downturn: Niger grows own rice

    With the national economy down and federal allocations paltry, Niger State is stepping up rice and other food crops production, reports JUSTINA ASISHANA

    The profile of the national economy is public knowledge. Crude oil prices are down, so the federal government has pretty little cash to run the country. To prop up the paltry cash available, imports are tightened, resulting in the exorbitant prices of whatever goods which manage to get in from abroad. This has caused a lot of pain to the populace.

    But there is a solution: grow more of what you consume so you don’t have to import it, especially if you can produce it.

    Niger State has since woken up to the wisdom of growing what its people eat. Last year its farmers cultivated 1000 hectares of rice; this year, it is getting a boost to double the figure. With the Fadama Additional Financing, a facility of the federal government, 2000 farmers in the state will grow 2000 hectares of rice. Sorghum farmers will also get assistance to expand their produce, as will cassava growers.

    Such a development is good for a country in recession.

    Thankfully, some other states are keying into the new plan, collaborating with the private sector to boost rice production, a move which will also create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths, reduce poverty and fast-track federal government’s self-sufficiency plan for rice production.

    With the contribution of Fadama III Additional Financing which is currently making a huge impact in the agricultural sector in the country towards boosting food production with about 24 states working to improve various major crops, there is no doubt that there will soon be a change in the sector.

    In Niger State, Fadama III AF has been working towards improving food production by assisting 2000 farmers to cultivate 2000 hectares of rice farms and 1,860 farmers in sorghum.

    When added to the 1000 hectares of rice being cultivated last year, the state will be able to provide rice for the people in the state at a lower price. The Fadama coordinator in the state, Mr Aliyu Usman Kutigi, an engineer, told North Report that they are working to ensure that the farmers produce rice twice a year by rehabilitating the major irrigation schemes and rehabilitating the access roads to the schemes.

    He stated that instead of producing one or two tonnes of rice per hectare, with the assisted improved inputs and mechanised tools, the farmers are currently producing five tonnes and more per hectares.

    Kutigi said that this will minimise the importation of rice with the huge amount that is being used for importation used for other things.

    “Fadama has mandated six states to boost rice production in the country. We started last year, although the impact is not much, the yield realized by the farmers in rice production have been increased. With 1000 hectares cultivated last year and 2000 being cultivated this year, there will be significant impact in the country soon.”

    Kutigi further disclosed that Fadama in Niger state is aiming towards assisting 10,000 farmers of rice and sorghum while increasing their income and yield by 40 per cent.

    He said that 300 youths and women groups will be trained and empowered by Fadama in the area of livestock to reduce youth restiveness and boost the economy of the state.

     

  • Rice-for-child swap on the rice (sorry, rise)

    The old line in the mid-80s was a-rice o compatriots! Then essential commodities, most notably, rice was so scarce that each time Nigerians heard the word rise, in any conversation, speech or even the national anthem, they would come to attention, if only to find out the next location for the rationed sale of rice.

    There was a famous cartoon in one national newspaper of that era, which depicted guests apparently at a seminar snoring away even as the speaker pranced and puffed, presenting his speech. The great moment came when the speaker said: “In conclusion, all these would give rise…” and pronto, the snoozing audience came alive exclaiming: “Rice? Did he just say rice?! Where?!”

    Today, Nigeria’s rice conundrum has shifted another gear and downhill it seems to throttle. Two grievous incidents happened last week to buttress this point.

    Inside Government House, Borno State, Northeast of Nigeria, there was a near-fatal shootout as policemen and soldiers struggled over control of bags of rice meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). Also in Borno, some officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) were apprehended attempting to re-bag rice meant for IDPs with a view to diverting them.

    But all these would be mild drama compared to the event last Sunday at Singer Market, Fagge Local Government Area of Kano State. A man identified as Mallam Yusuf Bala procured a bag of rice from Alhaji Suleiman Bagudu, a rice dealer in the market and reportedly left his five-year-old son at the rice dealer’s. He had promised to dash home for some more money to make payment. He never returned for his boy.

    When he was traced to his residence, he confessed he was impoverished, thus had to devise such a means to find sustenance for his family. This trick is not novel by any means. A woman had played it out quite successfully in Akure, Ondo State recently.

    With the strictures at the land borders to curb rice importation and attendant massive smuggling, it has become apparent that Nigeria, the giant of Africa boasting of a population of over 170 million, can hardly produce one tenth of her most important staple food. The prices of the imported commodity have continued to skyrocket, almost jumping out of the reach of the common man. A 50 kg bag, which sold for a little below N10, 000 about a year ago, has almost double, depending on the city you are.

    One worries that so much hoopla has been made about local production of rice; in fact, the last government had claimed it was going to achieve local sufficiency by 2015. Yet hardly can local rice be found in any significant quantity in any part of the country. So much for diversification of the economy, food security and the rediscovery of Nigeria’s rice belt, which had been the buzz phrases in the past few years?

    We knew about crude oil swap deals; now we have rice for child swaps; what next?

    • This article was first published on June 20, 2016.
  • Custom seizes rice worth 597.7bn

    Custom seizes rice worth 597.7bn

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) said it seized rice worth N597.7 billion brought into the country through the borders between January, 2016 and August, 2016.

    The Public Relations Officer of the service, Mr Wale Adeniyi, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday.

    He said that the worth of the commodity confiscated during the period was higher when compared with N330.5 billion value of the good seized in the same period in 2015.

    He said that the increase in the seizures was an indication that the customs was operating zero tolerance to illegal importation of rice.

    Adeniyi said that the service’s rapprochement with its counterpart in the Republic of Benin also facilitated the spate of confiscation of rice along the borders between both countries.

    “Our seizure on rice from January to August was N597.7 billion as against N330.5 billion during the same period in 2015; this shows a huge increase.

    “The number of seizures from the statistics shows that smugglers now know that it is no longer profitable to bring in rice through the borders.

    “So, since importation of rice is now restricted to the ports as even smugglers with one bag of rice are arrested.

    “We have a number of arrests, particularly those using motorcycles, donkeys and even small vehicles.

    “Rice is a bulk cargo imported into Nigeria. After the meeting we had with our colleagues from the Republic of Benin, we went all out on zero tolerance on importation of rice,’’ Adeniyi said.

    He said that the volume of rice coming into the country through the borders was currently relatively low, adding that more of the commodity were being brought in through the ports.

  • Rice dealer predicts imminent price fall of rice

    Rice dealer predicts imminent price fall of rice

    Chief Anthony Ndubuka, a major rice dealer in Umuahia, has expressed optimism that the price of rice would soon fall in Nigeria.

    Ndubuka expressed the optimism in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Umuahia on Thursday while speaking on the high price of the grains in the country.

    He said that the grains would become affordable as soon as farmers began to harvest the grains in the next few months.

    “I am confident that there will be a bumper harvest this year. So, by November, the price of the commodity will definitely come down,” he said.

    Ndubuka expressed concern that the astronomical price of rice had made it unaffordable in many homes.

    “Rice is a staple food in many families in Nigeria.

    “It is children’s favourite, but the commodity has become unaffordable because of its astronomical price,” he said.

    He traced the scarcity of rice to the ban on importation of the grains by the Federal Government.

    The rice dealer said that the inability of the local rice producers to fill the gap, caused by the ban, compounded the situation.

    “This explains why the price of rice in the country has gone beyond the reach of the common man,” he said.

    Ndubuka also said that the scarcity posed serious challenges to rice farmers and manufacturers in the country.

    “Luckily, many farmers have braced the challenge, so there will be plenty of rice this year,” he said.

    He said that the scarcity of foreign rice, after the government’s ban, led to increased demand for local substitutes.

    The rice farmer said that although the ban on importation was expected to boost local production and demand, government should have taken measures to bridge the gap.

    Ndubuka said that the grains were still being smuggled into the country in spite the ban. “The smuggled rice are re-bagged at the borders by smugglers to evade arrest,’’ he said.

    He urged the Federal Government to give incentives to rice farmers to boost output and quality of the grains and make them affordable.

    Findings revealed that that in Umuahia and some other parts of the country, a bag of local rice now sells for between N18, 500 and N20, 000 as against previous price of N5, 000 and N6, 000.

    The imported substitutes cost between N23, 500 and N25, 000 against the previous N8,000 and N10,000.

  • Kaduna farmers get rice seeds to boost production

    A kano-based company,  Popular Farms and Mills, in collaboration with Kaduna State Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, has distributed certified rice seeds to 400 local farmers in the state to boost rice production . The rice seeds were distributed to the farmers at a subsidised price.

    The seeds were distributed in the presence of Kaduna State Commissioner for Agriculture Daniel Maigari Manzo. Popular Farms General Manager AmitRai, who distributed the seeds, said his company was ready to solve the rice farming problem in Nigeria by motivating the local farmers to plant more rice in the state.

    “We have the technical advancement and the chemical advisory method to address the rice farming problem in the state and in Nigeria. We are here to help your local farmers to plant more rice in the country,” said Manzo.

    He also added that the company has introduced farming schools where local farmers can acquire knowledge about modern techniques of rice production. Manzo noted that local farmers need to embrace commercial farming.

    Popular Farms and Mills has been working with the Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) to integrate 20,000 rice farmers into sustainable and competitive business models that will lead to increased paddy production as well as improvements in quality.

  • Importers spend N2.29t on textile, rice, fish others

    Importers of textile materials, rice, fish, wheat and sugar spend close to N2.29 trillion to bring the commodities to Nigeria, yearly, The Nation has learnt.

    A senior official of the Federal Ministry of Finance, who spoke on condition of anonymity, condemned the high rate of smuggling of the items into the country. The official said textile materials’ importers spend close to N1.29 trillion annually to ferry the items into the country.

    The official, who described those involved in smuggling as economic saboteurs, said smuggled textile materials have continued to flood the markets despite the efforts of the Nigeria Customs Service to curb the menace.

    He said: “From Lagos to Ibadan, Kano, Kaduna and Katsina,  the smuggled textile materials are there. The smugglers are not only undermining the local industry, they also deprive the Federal Government of the needed revenue.

    “Anybody that is involved in smuggling of textile materials, agricultural produce and other items are guilty of economic sabotage. Smuggling is inimical to the national interest, economic growth and rapid development.

    “With the huge number of casualties suffered so far by the Nigeria Customs Service, it shows that smugglers have not only become more aggressive, but creative and determined to continue with their illicit business and that is why Nigerians need to support Customs in its war against smugglers by giving them useful information,” the official said.

    Also, the Executive Secretary, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN), Prof. Baba Abubakar, said rice, fish, wheat, fish and sugar importers spend N1 trillion annually.

    Abubakar, who was represented by the Acting Director, Partnership and Linkages Programme, Yarama Ndirpaya, disclosed this during a seminar on Agricultural Biotechnology in Abuja.

    He said Nigeria was the largest importer of US hard red and white wheat to the tune of N635 billion yearly; world’s number two importer of rice at N356 billion; spends N217 billion on sugar and N97 billion on fish imports every year.

    This, he said, was unacceptable. “Nigeria spends over N1 trillion on the top four food imports annually. And farmers have limited capacity and use techniques that adversely affect soil fertility, water and biodiversity. Human-induced climate change compounds the issue,” he said.

  • Emefiele donates 600 bags of rice to IDPs

    Emefiele donates 600 bags of rice to IDPs

    The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele has again donated six hundred bags of Nigeria made rice to  internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Bornu State.

    Emefiele, while presenting the food items, was full of empathy for the displaced persons, particularly those in the camps. He said people at the IDP camps have been deprived the opportunity to farm or work to earn a living with their families.

    He urged the relevant government agencies and humanitarian organisations not to relent in their efforts at nipping in the bud any humanitarian crisis.

    Emefiele used the opportunity to call on Nigerians to rally round the government at both the Federal and the affected States in restoring peace and resettling all displaced compatriots within the shortest possible time, so as to avert further crisis.

    He recalled with nostalgia the economic potentials and the natural endowments of this part of the country, “well known for its contributions to the economy in the area of agriculture, especially livestock, fish, hide and skin and even gum Arabic to the economy of the country.” And that “sadly, all these have been put on hold as a result of the insurgency.”

    Emefiele said that the “hard work of our gallant soldiers, the determination of the Federal Government and the indefatigable efforts of the government and people of Borno, who crave for true peace would not be in vain if economic activities are quickly restored in order to address the socio-economic challenges confronting the area as a result the insurgency.

  • Nigeria spends N1b daily on rice imports, says Onu

    Nigeria spends N1b daily on rice imports, says Onu

    The Minister for Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonanya Onu has said the country spends over N1 billion daily on the importation of rice.

    He reiterated Federal Government’s focus on food security, saying Nigeria has no business importing food.

    He said: ”It is lamentable that, the country is spending over N1 billion daily, on importing rice, for instance.”

    Onu said its time every Nigerian takes agriculture more seriously, adding that Nigeria must feed Nigerians.

    “There is no reason Nigerians will go to bed at night on an empty stomach,” he insisted.

    Onu who spoke in Sokoto yesterday while interacting with Senate members of the Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto said the Ministry was now focusing more on ensuring food security in the country.

    He said more needed to be done to realise the lofty dreams for a stable and prosperous nation in food self sufficiency.

    “Nigeria must also work hard in the area of the diversification of her energy sources and renewable energy is the key to unlocking her huge potentials,” he added.

    He commended the university for rendering huge support to the Sokoto Energy Research Centre, which had enabled it to remain as a centre of excellence on renewable energy.

    Speaking, the Director-General of the Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Prof. Eli Bala, said renewable energy was indispensable in realising the change agenda of the Federal Government.