The Nation Newspaper

Tag: rice

  • Traders, consumers groan over soaring price of rice

    Traders, consumers groan over soaring price of rice

    Nigerians expressed dismay over the cost of local rice as the Yuletide approaches. Notwithstanding government’s support in local production, the price keeps soaring, writes Ekaete Bassey

    Vendors and consumers question the rationale behind the extreme high cost of domestic rice in comparison to foreign brands. While calling for immediate intervention from the government and stakeholders, many demand the importation of foreign brands. They point out that this would neutralise price hike of local rice.

    In September, experts projected fresh indications on the imminent hike in the price of rice in the weeks following, going by the closure of mills in major rice-producing states in the country due to several factors including; a shortage of paddy supplies majorly caused by the closure of the Niger Republic border, where a large chunk of the cereal is procured to service the mills, insecurity, cost of inputs, electricity, flooding, payment of workers among others.

    However, the closure of borders by the previous government in a view to tackling the high rate of smuggling, as well as the apex bank’s decision in 2015 to list rice among the 42 items classified as “not valid for foreign exchange in the Nigerian forex market”, to support local rice millers, led to a spike in the prices of local parboiled rice owing to production shortfall seeing its demand is growing faster because of population growth, urbanization and changes in consumer preferences.

    Between June and September 2023, the price of paddy increased from N330,000 per tonne to N400,000 per tonne according to the Chairman, Northern Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Dalhatu Abubakar.

    With the development, the price of rice was projected to increase to N50,000 or more in the weeks to come as more mills got shut down.

    A market survey carried out in major markets in Lagos State, showed that a 50kg bag of rice, which sold for between N30,000 and N35,000 December 2022 and February 2023, has spiraled to over N60,000, depending on the brand across markets in the metropolitan city.

    Vendors, consumers groan

    A supervisor of a popular supermarket along Ire Akari, Isolo area of Lagos State, called for immediate intervention in not just reducing the cost of rice, but for other food items in general. The sales outlet overseer who craved anonymity, revealed their store sold strictly locally produced rice since foreign rice was considered “contraband” in the country.

    Revealing the selling price of Nigerian rice at the store, she argued it was expensive compared to the locally produced one.

    She insisted that low-income earners couldn’t even afford it, as a bag sold for N55,000 at their store, calling on the government to allow the importation of rice, maintaining that would checkmate the high rate of homegrown rice.

    “A month ago Nigerian rice was 48,000 but as of now, it is over N60,000. The rate at which things are increasing is so heartbreaking. Since it’s our homemade rice, the price shouldn’t be this much.

    “Generally, the prices of food items and others are high. The government and stakeholders should look into it because people are crying. Prices of foodstuffs change daily. Today you might buy something for N50 and when you come tomorrow, it’s gone up to N200.

    “Assuming importation of rice was allowed, the price of the local rice will not be this high so they should just open the border to make life easier for the Nigerians because the people are suffering”, she stated.

    Another vendor, Monny’s Store in the Daleko area of Mushin said: We have Mama Gold, Family, Eko, Big Bull, Umza, Amarava, Pretty Lady, and others. And these names I mentioned, they do not have stones and they are clean. The difference between these and foreign brands of rice isn’t that much.”

    “Nigerian rice is more expensive than foreign sometimes. They give different reasons for the high price. This foreign now, we sell it at the rate of N47,000 per 50kg bag. We have Nigerian rice that is N49,500, that is the Big Bull; why is it like that? We have Mama Gold which is N48,500, why is it like that? And these brands I mentioned are the same short grains as the foreign ones. So, why are they more expensive?”

    A food vendor emphasised that there was variation in the quality and neatness of the locally grown rice compared to foreign ones which she noted was generally clean, stone-free, and often less expensive.

    She said: “While some local rice is stone-free and requires less time to prepare, others require time-for the removal and sorting from the rice before cooking. Since there would be commotion when customers eat rice with stones, I just settle for foreign rice because I want the satisfaction of my customers and also because it’s the same amount and sometimes it is cheaper than the local ones, according to Madam Grace in the Olodi Apapa neighborhood of Lagos.

    A resident of the Apapa/Wharf area of Lagos, lamented the ‘outrageous’ price of local rice, claiming a recent visit to a popular supermarket within the vicinity, showed that a 50kg bag of “Big Bull”, Nigerian rice, sold for N68,400.

    The Nationalso observed the staggering amount of domestic rice sold at online sales outlets. On Jumia for example, the price of a 50kg bag of Big Bull rice was pegged between N74,490 and N84,490, while at the official store, it sold for N56,756.

    On Konga, the same domestic rice sold for N63,900, while its foreign counterpart, Royal Stallion sold for between N62,500 and N69,900.

    Read Also: Presidency tackles Atiku over claim on court verdicts

    On Jiji, the same domestic rice brand sold for N62,000 in Lagos, while Royal Stallion went for N67,000.

    Government Intervention

    Meanwhile, in January 2022, the former President, Muhammadu Buhari assured Nigerians that prices of food items, especially rice would soon come down.

    He gave the assurance during the official unveiling of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)/Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Rice Paddy Pyramids in Abuja, where he urged Nigerians to exercise some patience, saying the growing food production in the country, especially the expansion in rice farming would eventually bring down prices of food, making it more affordable for all.

    Similarly, in March 2023, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it disbursed N12. 65 billion to farmers under its Anchor Borrowers’ Programme (ABP) in the first two months of the year.

    This was made known by the former apex bank governor, Godwin Emefiele while reading the communiqué issued at the end of the 290th meeting financial institution’s monetary policy committee (MPC) in Abuja on Tuesday, March 21, 2023.

    Emefiele mentioned that since the ABP’s establishment in 2015, a total of N1.09 trillion had been disbursed.

    Former president Muhammadu Buhari introduced the ABP on November 17, 2015, with the goal of establishing a connection between smallholder farmers (SHFS) and anchor companies that process the necessary major agricultural commodities.

    He claimed that the programme had benefited 4.6 million smallholder farmers cultivating, or rearing 21 different agricultural commodities.

    “Between January and February 2023, the bank disbursed N12.65 billion to three agricultural projects under the ABP.”

    “It brings the cumulative disbursement under the programme to N1.09 trillion to more than 4.6 million smallholder farmers cultivating or rearing 21 agricultural commodities on an approved 6.02 million hectares of farmland”, Emefiele stated.

    Despite the previous administration’s efforts to bring down the price of rice, it has continued on the rise.

    All efforts to speak with the president of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Aminu Goronyo, proved abortive.

    Opening of borders, rice importation imminent

    With the increasing difficulty  in meeting the expanding demand for rice in Africa’s most populous nation, the government may need to heed the calls of the citizenry to open up its borders as well as embrace the importation of rice.

    This may just be underway as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, Dr. Olayemi Cardoso, on October 12, 2023, disclosed the forex ban on 43 items, including rice has been lifted and also promised to intervene in the FX market from “time to time”.

    A report by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) projects Nigeria to become the top rice buyer globally in 2024 with an import of 2.1 million metric tons of rice.

    According to the latest Rice Outlook report by the Economic Research Service of the (USDA), global rice trade is expected to hit about 52.85 million tons (milled basis) by 2024, with more exports expected from Brazil and South Korea, and more imports from Burkina Faso, Indonesia, and Nigeria.

    It indicated that a record 517.8 million tonnes of rice will be produced worldwide in 2023-2024, down 340,000 tonnes from the previous month’s estimate, that is but 4.4 million tonnes more than the previous year.

    Nigeria is expected to produce roughly 5.23 million tonnes of rice, out of the total projected production figure.

    It further highlighted both “high prices for domestic rice and quality concerns” for “stronger-than-expected demand for imported rice”.

    Given the data presented in the report, Nigeria is anticipated to emerge as the primary importer of rice in 2024.

    With a projected import of two million and 900,000 metric tonnes respectively, Indonesia and Brazil are expected to trail Nigeria respectively.

  • Rice brand war intensifies as yuletide approaches

    Rice brand war intensifies as yuletide approaches

    Mrs. Juliana Ariyo, bought a bag of 50kg long grain rice, branded ‘Mama Africa’ from the popular rice market, Daleko in Mushin Lagos.

    From the first day she cooked the rice, her whole family enjoyed it so much that she made up her mind to stick to that brand.

    As soon as the rice finished months after, she eagerly went back to the same market to purchase the same brand of rice.

    Fortunately, on getting to the market she saw the brand and happily parted with N57,000 despite the fact that few months ago when she made her first purchase it was N50,000.

    With the alarming way prices of goods jump up in Nigeria now, everyone knows that the price one pays for a product yesterday may not be the price of the product the next day.

    Anyway that is a story for another day.

    After making her payment, Mrs. Ariyo happily ordered the sales man to drop the bag of rice inside the boot of her vehicle and happily drove home anticipating the kind of satisfaction she experienced with her first purchase.

    The next day she ventured to make rice meal for her family of five. She opened the bag of rice to measure out some cups but on sighting the rice grains she saw it was entirely different from the contents of the first bag she bought. The grains of rice from this bag were very short and some broken. It was as if someone bagged runoff or leftover rice from the rice factory.

    Surprised and believing the wrong bag must have been loaded for her she scrutinised the rice bag, but it was the same bag of rice she chose, the same brand name as the first one she bought, the lettering, etcetera on the bag. Dejected and annoyed, she still cooked the rice.This time the rice took longer to cook, and ended up sticky and marshy as if it was semovita meal or the popular hausa meal rice meal ‘tuwo shinkafa’. Mrs. Ariyo, of course, did not add more water than necessary when she was cooking the rice.

    This is the trend in the rice industry. It has been going on for long and nothing is being done about it.

    One cannot guarantee the brand of rice she/he is eating based on the brand name on the bag.

    One may be eating ‘Royal Umbrella’ bagged in a rice bag branded ‘Enugu rice’ or ‘Kebbi rice’ or one may be eating ‘JOK Rice’ bagged in a bag branded ‘Mama Choice’.What brand of rice is in the bag of the rice you have just bought? Is it Royal Umbrella, Stallion, Marvel, Caprice, El Faradj, Mama Gold,etcetera? It is only the wholesaler and retailer that can honestly answer that question.

    Adulteration has permeated the rice industry just like in every other sector. The story of Mrs. Felicia Okonkwo, a caterer with the Nigerian Prison Authorities, is not different from Mrs. Ariyo’s narration.

    Felicia Okonkwo,  had just ordered some bags of Royal Umbrella rice at the normal price of N57,000. Royal Umbrella, because it is about one of the best rice in the market.

    According to Mrs. Okonkwo, on opening the 50kg bag, and seeing the rice, she realised it was not the rice she has been buying.

    Unlike the Royal Umbrella, this particular rice grain was not slim and long and also did not have the shinny finish of Royal Umbrella.

    On opening the second bag of rice she bought, she noticed also that it was not the brand she had asked for.

    Read Also: Subsidy removal: Ondo moves to crash food prices

    The content of this second bag was even different from the contents of the first bag she opened and both bags were supposed to be the same brand.

    After listening to the stories of the above buyers, our correspondent decided to take a trip to different rice markets. Posing as a buyer, she went to Daleko market. 

    As she walked through the market, she saw many empty rice bags printed with popular rice brand names displayed for sale for those traders wishing to falsely repackage unpopular rice under popular brand names.

    She walked to line 2, Shop 34. The shop owner, Madame Funmi Olobanjo, popularly called Oyo Oyo Rice, was  forthcoming, believing she was a rice retailer.

    She said the popular brands she wanted was scarce but that she could bag rice that looked similar to the ones she wanted under the brand name she wanted.

    However, the ones that are usually adulterated are the brands in high demand, especially when they are no longer in the market and buyers keep demanding for them.

    Also at the Agege Market, Shop No 18, Shiaba Street, Alhaji Musa Abubakar, though confirming the adulteration of rice, said that not all the traders were involved in the nefarious activities.

    The way to avoid falling into the hands of these dupes, he advised, is to maintain a customer.

    “Find an honest customer and stick to him,” he said.

    At Iddo, another popular rice market where the adulteration seemed to be rife, Mr. Anene Ikeanyionwu, a rice dealer, while condemning the actions of some of his fellow traders, also blamed consumers for sometimes insisting on a particular brand.

    “The difference in some of these brands, especially the rice from Thailand is not much. They are all good rice just that they have been branded in different names. There is no much difference between El Faradj, Super rice, Royal Umbrella and the other brands. The only thing is that those brands have been marketed better,” lamented Ikeanyionwu. “Where the difference is noticeable is between rice imported from India and the one imported from Thailand. Indian rice is of smaller seed and sells for about N47,000 while Thai rice is of bigger and longer grain which consumers prefer and which goes for between N57,000 – N60,000.”

    But a consumer has the right to know what he or she is buying and right to preference.

    Investigations by Consumer Watch  revealed that at all the popular rice markets in Lagos like Iddo, Daleko, Ketu, Mile 12, Alaba, Sango Otta, the story is the same.

    Printed rice bags of different brands are openly on display for traders to buy and repackage and rebrand. Grain sack-sewing machines are equally on display. Almost all the wholesalers are involved in this act and they engage in it right inside their stores, though discreetly.

    Investigations further revealed that the union can’t stop the adulteration because the members are the wholesalers who are deeply involved in the adulteration.

  • Growing concerns over declining rice production

    Growing concerns over declining rice production

    Food security is essentially defined as the state in which all essential food staples, particularly rice, are accessible and affordable. Rice used to be the cheapest dietary staple, often labelled as the sustenance of the masses. However, in recent times, the cost of rice has soared to an extent where it’s no longer associated with just the poor, as general scarcity of food has become widespread. This crisis is exacerbated by various detrimental factors affecting the agricultural sector, including stiff competition from inexpensive imports, adverse impacts of climate change, and lack of mechanised farming. Rice yields remain notably low while its supply chain faces a fresh threat from perennial shortage of paddy, DANIEL ESSIET reports

    There are rising concerns over the inability of Nigeria to retain its position as Africa’s largest rice producer. This is because farmers struggle to produce enough to meet the needs of Nigerians. According to research by Statista, rice production in Nigeria amounted to around 8.3 million metric tons in 2021, making the country the leading rice producer in Africa. 

    Indeed, the industry has experienced rounds of good planting and harvesting from quite a lot of paddies in the past years, with attractive market prices encouraging farmers to increase rice acreage. Following this, rice production in Nigeria increased from 325,000 tons in 1969 to 5.1 million metric tons in 2019; growing at an average annual rate of 8.76 per cent. This is according to data from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). In spite of this, rice prices have soared in almost 23 years as a result of insecurity and dry weather that threaten production. The combined effects of climate change, conflicts and economic shocks have pushed rice prices upwards, leaving millions of people extremely vulnerable as a result of low purchasing power. The consequences of surging rice prices have made it become a daily struggle to put enough nutritious food on the table.

    Timeline of increment in rice prices

    There has been a massive rise in the price of rice from about N8,500 per bag of 50 kilogrammes in 2015 to roughly N45,000 per bag this year. Analysts are already predicting that a bag of rice could hit N60,000 next month. In 2000, a 50kg bag of rice averaged ?2,500. In 2014, according to the National Bureau of Statistics, a 50kg bag of rice averaged ?10,000. At the end of June 2020, a 50kg bag of rice cost ?26,000.

     Ordinarily, the rising price should get more farmers to expand planting areas to make more money. However, the President of the Young Rice Farmers’ Association of Nigeria, Rotimi Williams, told The Nation that, while higher grain prices should encourage rice producers, the costs of key inputs to boost rice yields have been on the rise. This is besides extreme weather that has affected cropping patterns. Williams has had to spend thousands on different fertiliser, diesel and water, among others to produce rice on a paddy.

     Sometimes, he and other rice farmers have been constrained by droughts and heavy rains which flood the fields. His concern is that the threat to rice production also comes at a time when the country is already grappling with soaring food costs. The Flour Milling Association of Nigeria Agronomist, Ahmed Tijani, said farmers in the Northern Nigeria were experiencing unprecedented changes in rainfall patterns, droughts and extreme heat. According to analysts, increased demand and supply gaps can lead to high rice prices in the medium and long-term periods.

     According to the President of the Federation of Agricultural Commodity Association of Nigeria (FACAN), Dr. Victor Iyama, there ought to be multiple strategies introduced to achieve specific self-sufficiency targets.  This, he indicated, should prompt the re-evaluation of existing policies to provide high priority for the development of the agricultural sector, especially rice and other staple foods. Therefore, the government should continue to strengthen the rice sector through various initiatives and strategies, where the key focus is on the improvement of research and development of existing infrastructure to boost rice yield.

    Read Also: Sahara Group calls for price differentiation for gas exports

    Stakeholders proffer solutions

    The Group Chief Executive of AFEX Commodities Limited and past Chairman of Smallholder and Agri-SME Finance and Investment Network (SAFIN), Ayodeji Balogun, believes that only increased private sector engagement in rice farming and staple foods reserve systems can support the government effort to ensure food supply chains. According to him, the introduction of the warehouse receipts system, which his organisation is driving, would help to mitigate the shortage of working capital loans faced by rice processors, wholesalers and retailers.

     Nigeria now accounts for 70 per cent of Africa’s milled rice production growth over the past decade. Milled rice production was estimated at five million metric tons last year. Analysts expected it to grow at 10 per cent by 2025. This notwithstanding, the quantity of unprocessed rice produced outnumbered that of milled rice. As elsewhere, the persistently high cost of transportation has pushed up production expenses beyond expectations. Farmers attributed the price hike to an increase in transportation costs after the removal of the fuel subsidy on May 29 2023; coupled with the escalating expenses associated with acquiring foreign exchange.

     Explaining the increase in rice price, the President of the All Farmers’ Association of Nigeria (AFAN), Ibrahim Kabiru, said the high price of inputs such as seed, fertilisers and other chemical inputs such as herbicides, labour and transportation costs for moving the commodity from the farm to the processing mills have been some of the major challenges responsible for hike in price. Due to transportation hikes along the production routes, smallholder farmers have struggled to increase production in a cost-effective manner with the key inputs continuing to rise. The result is a shortage of rice, even for rice processors and millers.

     The impact has been massive with stakeholders identifying insufficient supply of rice as the major factor responsible for the high cost of local rice. Another contributing factor to the hike in prices of rice is insecurity; local producers have been scaling down production while local traders are holding onto their stocks. This coincides with the lean months of July and August when there were less harvest. Stakeholders have also identified insufficient paddy rice and poor irrigation as another factor hindering all-year-round farming. Rice millers have attributed the hike in rice prices to the scarcity of paddy in the open market.

     The report reveals that many rice mills have been forced to shut down operations due to paddy scarcity and the high cost of production. In response to this, the Chairman of the Northern Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Alhaji Dalhatu Abubakar, alerted that scarcity of raw materials is forcing millers to shut down operations. He explained that the implication of scarcity of paddy was the current increase in the price of parboiled rice, which, he noted, would further increase the activities of smugglers. He expressed his fear that food insecurity might reach its worst level in the country if the scarcity of paddy, a major raw material for the production of finished rice persists. Abubakar stressed that several millers had cut down production hours from 24 to 12, even as they sacked factory workers.

     Williams also attributed the scarcity to insecurity issues that have been forcing many farmers to abandon their farmlands. He further linked the scarcity to the coup in the Niger Republic, which, he noted, had put a halt to the importation of paddy from countries within the West African sub-region. Sadly, the report said mills have been receiving wet paddy to enable them to meet up with market demands.

    Interested parties express fear about food crisis

    While rice-producing states such as Kebbi and Jigawa have become beehives of activities as millers were rushing to access paddy, the price has jumped to more than N450,000 per ton for the paddy with moisture. A ton in early June 2023 was sold at N330,000. Analysts fear a possible food crisis as a bunch of problems threaten to disrupt the supply of paddy.

    Experts say that if Nigeria fails to introduce a proper action plan to tackle the paddy shortage, the situation could become disastrous. The low output, according to them, may cause further upward pressure on inflation and downward pressure on the economy. As rice is one of the country’s staple foods, it points to further pressure on a country already struggling with its worst economic crisis in modern times, including runaway inflation and growing levels of malnutrition. Analysts are worried that a drop in rice production will complicate the country’s inflation fight.

     Following the Federal Government’s ban on importation of rice in 2019, the Republic of Niger has banned the re-­exportation of rice from the country. The Nigerian government closed some of its borders to prevent the smuggling of banned goods into the country. This, however, didn’t stop traders from neighbouring countries from using the Niger Border to smuggle imported white and parboiled rice into Nigeria. The closure of the border months ago was a mixed fortune for the smugglers who smuggle rice and other items into Nigeria.

    Eko Rice as elixir?

     Lagos State invested in the construction of a 32-metric-ton-per-hour rice mill, with the hope that it will produce 115,200 metric tons of milled rice yearly. At the beginning of the year, the state launched Eko Rice in various sizes, including 50kg bags. So far, the supply of paddy has affected the rice processing at the facility.

     On why there is scarcity of Eko Rice, the immediate Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture and Rice Mill Initiative, Mr Oluwarotimi Fashola, said: “The problem now is the challenge of paddy supply. Everybody knows that there is no paddy in the market. Eko Rice has been in the market since January. It has been sold in commercial quantities since the beginning of the year. We are in August; it has been in the market since January.”

     Early this year, the Lagos State Government said it would need about N100 billion annually to purchase paddy for the Imota Rice Mill in the Ikorodu area of the metropolis. Fashola said this huge amount of money might not be taken from the government’s coffers because of other items begging for attention, but the capital market would be a good avenue to source such funds. According to him, this is why the state government has agreed to partner with the Lagos Commodities and Future Exchange (LCFE) and other key capital market operators to provide sustainable finance to the commodities ecosystem through the generation of tradable financial instruments.

     Fashola said: “Imota Mill will require over 200,000 tons of paddies annually. It is not cheap. In Nigeria as of today, that is going into almost N100 billion, and N100billion of taxpayers’ money being taken from the government funds will not be the easiest to do in any financial year. However, with the partnership with the commodities exchange, we can maintain the flow of paddy to the mill. If the mill continues to run, we have a comparative advantage of having a good price, and at the same time, the finished rice becomes available in the market.”

     According to analysts, one of the key challenges the mill will be grappling with is raw material, paddy rice to service the mill. Without enough supply of paddy to feed it, analysts believe the facility is going to be underutilised, which will lead to waste. They urged Lagos to concentrate more on how to directly get the raw materials, not contracting it to other states, which have their own problems. They cited the logistics to bring the paddy rice to Lagos from other states which will push up the cost.

     In response, the government has empowered about 800 rice farmers to grow more paddy rice. The immediate State Commissioner for Agriculture, Ms Abisola Olusanya, explained that the state government’s strategic intervention was informed by the need to boost activities of rice farmers in the state. “It is expected that if these farming techniques are adopted by the farmers in the next planting season, it will result in an increase in paddy production to an expected average yield of four tons per hour,” she said.

    Continuing, she said: “Due to the fact that the state has limited agricultural cultivable land area, and with the increasing rate of small and large-scale rice mills across the country, there is a strain on the state getting a constant supply of paddy to feed the mill. The government has trained rice farmers in Ikorodu, Epe, Badagry, Gboyinbo, Idena, Obada, ItoIkin, and Ise to bridge the rice demand deficit of residents and the Federal Government’s current ban on rice importation.”

    The threat of drought

    Any prolonged drought may lead to a shortage in rice supply if adaptation methods to raise production are not taken. Several state governments have initiated plans to introduce drought-resistant seeds. However, the seeds can be costly for poor farmers to access. Internationally, several factors are contributing to the steep rise in rice prices. These include drought and other bad weather. Many rice farmers are turning to more lucrative cash crops; hence reducing the quantity of land devoted to production of the grain.

  • ‘Nigerians consume N1.2b local rice daily’

    Nigerians consume N1.2 billion worth of locally produced rice nationwide everyday, National President of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Alhaji Aminu Goronyo stated this on Wednesday

    Goronyo noted that since 2015, “no naira has been converted to dollars to  import rice into the country”.

    This proactive measure by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), he said, has resulted in Nigeria being self-sufficient in rice production, thus making it possible for Nigerians to consume N1.2 billion worth of locally produced rice daily.

    Goronyo was reacting to allegations by an individual, who claimed to have supplied agricultural input for rice under the ABP but have not been paid by the CBN.

    Acccording to Goronyo, the CBN does not deal directly with RIFAN suppliers or service providers and as a result has no business with the individual.

    Read Also: Nigeria cocoa community queries Ghana-Cote d’Ivoire floor price deal

    He stated that after checking the list of 30 RIFAN suppliers and service providers, the aggrieved petitioner was not found on its list.

    RIFAN, he noted, did not deal with individuals but corporate entities that get paid after meeting the terms of  engagement for the supply of inputs or services.

    Reacting to the petition that was sent to President Muhammadu Buhari, Alhaji Goronyo told journalists that “all information suggests that the petitioner is unhappy with the ABP of the CBN.

    The petitioner, Christopher Kajere, whose name cannot be found on RIFAN’s list of suppliers and service providers, Goronyo said lacks the capacity to operate as a RIFAN supplier because he did not follow the proper channels of engagement expected of RIFAN suppliers and service providers. Moreover, RIFAN he said does not use contractors as the petitioner identified himself.

  • Masari’s wife donates rice to women

    The wife of Katsina State Governor, Hajiya Zakiyya Masari, yesterday, presented 300 bags of rice and other essential commodities to women groups in Daura Local Government Area, in the spirit of the Ramadan.

    Mrs Masari, who presented the items to representatives of 110 registered women groups in the area, said the gesture was aimed at providing succour to them as Ramadan fasting continues.

    News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that other items include: 300 cartons of Macaroni, 200 packets of Spahgehtti , 100 kg of millet and 700 sachets of milk.

    The governor’s wife urged them to make judicious use of the items and said the beneficiaries included local Hisbah committee members, women Da’awah groups among others selected for their immense contribution to their communities.

    She added that the state government would continue to promote the welfare of the people, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliation.

    Chairman, Daura Local Government,  Alhaji Abba Mato, thanked the governor’s wife for the gesture and prayed that God will reward her good action.

    He called on the beneficiaries to make judicious use of the items by utilising them for themselves and their families, to justify the purpose for which it was meant.

    Hajiya Hafsat Jibril, the APC Women Leader expressed gratitude to the governor’s wife for her support to all women in the area irrespective of their political leanings.

    She assured that women in the area would continue to support the good policies and programmes of the government for the accelerated development of the state.

    She stressed that Masari’s administration had done so much for women through its youth empowerment programmes.

  • Customs seizes N137m rice, second-hand clothing

     

    The Headquarters Strike Force Team of the Nigeria Customs Service has seized contraband foreign parboiled rice and second-hand clothing worth N137 million in the past one month in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.

    National Coordinator of the Team, Deputy Comptroller, Abdullahi Kirawa, who disclosed this to reporters while inspecting the items at the Government Warehouse in Calabar  on Wednesday, said a total of 5, 662 50kg bags of rice were seized, of which 2, 153 was handed over to them by the Nigerian Navy.

    Kirawa said this showed the level of cooperation and synergy that exists between the Customs and other sister security agencies.

    “It is of note that these seizures would not have been possible without the motivation of the team by the headquarters, particularly the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ali rtd, who has given us all that we need to ensure that not only is smuggling reduced to the barest minimum, but that we ensure that the menace of these people is not perpetuated in this area.

    “I use this medium to call on members of the public to help us with valuable and credible information so that we make more of these arrests.

    “These seizures were just in the period of one month. You know this is the yuletide period and a lot of smuggling activities would be on the increase but then because of the doggedness and the determination of the officers to excel and ensure that we perform our duties to the best of our abilities, we would ensure they are arrested and the perpetuators are brought to book,” Kirawa said.

    Kirawa, was conducted round by the leader of the Strike Force Team in Zone C, which consists of Calabar, South-South and South-East, Assistant Comptroller Kolade Kayode.

     

  • Customs impounds N2.75b rice, vehicles

    • Two suspects held

    The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operation Unit (FOU), Zone A, Ikeja,  has impounded 66 trucks loaded with foreign rice , 34 vehicles, 3,79kilogrammes of Indian hemp and other contraband valued at N2.75billion.

    Comptroller Aliyu Mohammed told reporters yesterday, that two suspects were arrested over the smuggling of Indian hemp valued at N379.2million.

    He said the bags of Indian hemp were smuggled inot the country from Ghana by unscrupulous Nigerians.

    Also, he noted that between August 17 and December 10, 2018,  FOU intercepted various contraband with a duty paid value (DPV) of N5.1billion.

    He listed the seized items to include: “24 units of seized vehicles and 34 exotic vehicles on detention (58), 39,664 bags of foreign parboiled rice (equivalent of 66 trailers), 3,252 frozen poultry products, 2,887 jerry cans of vegetable oil, 3,792 parcels of Indian hemp, 5x20feet containers of unprocessed wood, 2,520 bales of used clothing, 710 cartons of tramadol, 510 kilogrammes of pangolin packed in 17 sacks, 180 pieces of compressors, among others.

    “The 58 vehicles under detention/seizure are: 3bullet proof vehicles including 1 Lexus Jeep LX570 (2016) and 2 Land Cruiser Jeeps (2017/2018), 6 Toyota Camry, other vehicles include: 2 Toyota Hilux (2017), 2 Toyota Land Cruiser (2016), 2 Nissan Navara (2016) among others.”

    The comptroller stressed that  the anti-smuggling units also intercepted some motorcycles laden with bags of rice from unapproved routes, creeks and border communities.

    Mohammed  said: “ The drive and desire to compliment the Comptroller General’s policy of entrenching transparency and integrity while enforcing the core mandate of the service is the determining factor for his uncompromising stand to succeed at all cost.

    Speaking on seizures of rice, the comptroller said proactive steps of enforcement were  achieving the desired result. He said the agency was working in line with the policy of the Federal Government in sustaining agriculture and self-sufficiency in food production, revamping the economic recovery plan, protecting national security and ameliorating the potential health hazards of the negative impact of smuggled items to the average citizens.

    Mohammed said as a unit that requires and ensure total compliance to all clearance procedure and extant laws, the non-compliance of stakeholders who chose to abuse these procedures would always fall victims of FOU.

    He said the greatest new year gift the FOU Zone A was offering Nigerians was the modest contribution of sacrifice that officers and men went through to combat the menace of these illicit substances.

  • Kano to harvest three million tonnes of rice

    About three million tonnes of rice will be harvested by Kano State this year, Deputy Governor Nasiru Yusuf Gawuna, has said.

    Gawuna made this known to reporters while taking stock of achivements of the Ministry of Agriculture.

    Gawuna, who oversees the ministry, said the state has been recording huge increase in rice and other grains’ harvests since 2015.

    According to him, despite enormous challenges affecting agricultural development, in terms of mechanisation and technology, the Ganduje administration has reduced rice import, thereby saving billions of naira yearly.

    “From the time His Excellency Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje assumed office in 2015, there is significant increase every year in whatever we harvest in the state.

    Gawuna said: ”For example, in 2015, we harvested about 690,000 tonnes of rice, in 2016, we harvested 1.5 millions tonnes; in 2017 we harvested over two millions tonnes of rice and, definitely, this year, we are far a head of what we have done in 2017, harvesting to about three million tonnes of rice,“ he said.

    Various efforts, he said, were being made to produce qualitative and affordable fertiliser by reviving the state Agricultural Supply Company (KASCO), which suffered neglect during the previous administrations.

     

  • Flood : Ogbeh predicts rice shortage in 2019

    The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, says if appropriate measures were not taken to replant after the recent flood, the country may be in serious trouble with rice production.

    Ogbeh disclosed this in Abuja on Thursday at the inauguration of National Agricultural Seed Council (NASC) Molecular Facility and the 2018 seed fair and Farmer’s field day.

    He said that the flood had affected some major rice producing states, adding that the country might experience scarcity of rice, if not addressed.

    “We have to find out a way to assist farmers, who were affected by the flood; places like Jigawa, Kebbi, Anambra and Kogi were majorly affected. Farmers lost everything they planted.

    “There are different varieties of rice that are being produced at NASC like faro 66 and 67 which are flood tolerant.

    “We hope to get them into the field in large quantity for farmers to plant in the near future.

    “We are also hoping that as soon as the rain seized, we are encouraging farmers to replant so that the residual moisture on the soil plus irrigation can give us another crop  by the end of December or early January.

    “Otherwise, we will be in serious trouble for rice, millet, sorghum and maize next year,” he said.

    The Minister expressed his pleasure and honour to be given the opportunity to chair this year’s Seed Fair and Farmers’ Field Day and inaugurate the NASC Molecular Laboratory.

    “ It is quite heartwarming to note that NASC has over the years kept faith in its drive to ensure the availability of quality seeds to farmers.

    “Also, this event is being used as a platform for creating awareness among our great farmers and the farming communities to showcase the different improved crop varieties that can enhance the productivity and increase national food security.

    Also peaking, Dr Philip Ojo, the Director-General, NASC, said that the 2018 event was opened with a Road Walk from the Federal Secretariat to the Minister of Agriculture.

    “This was followed by a Symposium. All the events were geared towards creating improved seeds awareness among our great farmers and the farming communities, especially in the Federal Capital Territory.

    “I wish to state categorically that improved seed use is the most cost effective means of enhancing agricultural productivity.

    “It is important to inform you all that between the 2017 and 2018, a lot of successes have been achieved in the Nigerian Seed industry.

    “NASC collaborations with other stakeholders have started yielded positive results such as the NASC Molecular Facility that will soon be inaugurated.

    “The facility which is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation under the BASICS Programme will help in the development of the Cassava Seed System in the country and enhance productivity,” he said.

    The director-general appealed for more support from the state governors in order to step up the agency’s regulatory activities to rid the market of fake and adulterated seeds.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the yearly event has: “Enhancing Improved Seed Adoption towards achieving Food Security and Wealth Creation,” as its theme for 2018.

    NAN also reports fake seeds confiscated by the council were burnt by the Minister, during the event. (NAN)

  • Edo rice farmers count losses as floods bring tears, sorrow

    The Federal Government’s efforts to move away from a monolithic economy and diversify in the area of agriculture seemed to be paying off. However, the recent flood that ravaged some states of the federation has made agricultural production suffer a setback. OSAGIE OTABOR reports that rice farmers in Edo State are counting their losses as flood destroyed their rice farms.

    Prince Joe Okojie, Special Adviser to Governor Godwin Obaseki on Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security Programme, is not happy: no thanks to floods which have spoiled his efforts at boosting rice production.

    Over 300 hectares of rice farms have been washed away by the floods. What worsens the situation was the non-payment of insurance by the farmers as outlined in the business plan given to them by Okojie.

    Okojie was given the responsibility to implement Obaseki’s agricultural programme and policies of making local farmers regard agriculture as business as well as means of being millionaires. One of the strategies adopted to achieve the objective was to encourage the farmers to form co-operatives, divided into clusters and raise their spirits to key into the FADAMA 111 Additional Financing Project.

    Okojie undertook a tour of the three Senatorial Districts and sensitised rice farmers to the benefits of forming co-operatives as a way of benefitting from Obaseki’s agricultural policies.

    Some rice farmers were happy to key into the projects and each was allocated one hectare of land in the pilot project at Iguoriakhi, Agenebode and Warrake.

    It was at the point of harvesting that tears came for the farmers. At Iguoriakhi, the 280 hectares of rice farm at the bank of the Ovia River in Ovia South West Local Government Area were washed away by flood.

    A total of 280 farmers under various clusters were affected by the disaster. They commenced harvesting on a Saturday but the Ovia River overflowed its bank the next day and 80 per cent of the rice field were covered with flood.

    President of the Iguomon I Cluster, Mrs. Bola Amen Ijeoma, said they were expecting to get five tons per hectare in the farm following the use of Faro 44.

    She said: “We began rice farming at this Iguomon axis last year but we couldn’t make any harvest because of flood. I just started harvesting before the flood incident. I was expecting to harvest five tons of rice from my rice farm.

    “This is a big loss. We have 280 hectares of rice farm. We don’t have money which was why we didn’t insure the farm. We were introduced to FADAMA III to assist us because of the loss we incurred last year.”

    The leader of Iguomon II Cluster, Mr. Edward Akpoboye, said the flood has destroyed all their hope of recovering from the loss they experienced last year.

    “We thank the government for mitigating our losses last year. Flood has taken everything, including our joy and happiness. I don’t know how to tell my wife what happened. This is the only work we know how to do best.

    “We want the government to alleviate our suffering occasioned by this disaster. Last year, flood destroyed our farms. We thought we would have concluded harvesting the rice before the flood incident.

    “The water is too much. Some persons are harvesting the rice they can see. Last year, we planted paddy rice but this year, we planted Faro 44 and we were expecting bumper harvest,” he said.

    At Agenebode in Estako East Local Government Area, 110 hectares of land were given to the state government by the Leventis Farm. 110 farmers participated in the rice project.

    As at press time, flood has taken over 20 per cent of the farm while the farmers have only harvested six hectares with the use of a combined harvester.

    The farmers had to use canoe to push their way through the flood to evacuate rice to the upland. Some of the farmers are, however, apprehensive over the rising flood as the rice was not yet desiccated. There should be uninterrupted sunshine for at least two weeks to enable them to start harvesting.

    Chairman of the rice farmers, Mr. Omoaka Paul, told reporters that they first experienced such flood that destroyed their rice field in 2012. He said their prayer is for other parts of the rice field to dry up before the water level rises.

    Omoaka further stated that they were expecting to harvest between four and six metric tons of rice per hectare but the flood reduced it to between three and four tons per hectare.

    He said: “Eighty per cent of the farmers may not be able to harvest their rice because they rice is yet to dry up and the flood is yet to abate. The level of water yesterday has increased today.

    “We have harvested five hectares out of 110. If not for Leventis Farm that gave us combined harvesters, it would have been difficult for us.”

    Another farmer who identified himself as Pius said he spent N270, 000 to cultivate his one hectare and was happy that the rice was doing well before the flood came.

    Pius said his fears were that his rice was yet to be due for harvest due to absence of sunlight.

    Unfortunately, the farmers admitted that they did not pay for insurance as outlined in the business plan. The insurance firm would have paid the farmers 70 per cent of the expected yield as the disaster occurred.

    Mrs. Bola claimed they were not having money to pay for the insurance, even as he added that they didn’t expect such disaster.

    Another farmer, Mr. Agamah Isaac said they would be happy if they get up to 70 per cent of the expected yield in order to survive the suffering occasioned by the flood disaster.

    Omoaka, however, appealed to Prince Okojie to assist the farmers to enable them to recover from the shock of the loss.

    “We will be happy to get up to 60 per cent. Many farmers do not know the essence of insurance. We would have been millionaires but for the flood. Please take our message back to the governor. We need some level of assistance,” he said.

    Okojie said he was disappointed that the state pilot rice farms were being destroyed by flood. He said the state government expected to get six metric tons per hectare but the flood has reduced it to four tons per hectare.

    His words: “We cultivated 110 hectares of rice in Agenebode . We have a cluster of 110 farmers. Each farmer had one hectare of land. We were expecting four to six metric tons per hectare.

    “What we will do is to begin rice cultivation early next year. We started planting in May this year. We will start early so that we can prevent further disaster. We will have a conversation with the farmers in a bid to know what assistance government can render to the farmers.

    “The last time they witnessed massive flood was in 2012. We were not anticipating anything like this. There is little or nothing anybody can do about nature.

    “I came to inspect the extent of damage on the farm myself because from the pictures I saw, the farm was looking good. I was informed just that flood has taken over the farm.

    “Next year, we have to start early. We need to start early next year to avoid this kind of situation. I will discuss with the Governor Obaseki tô know the next step to take. We carry out research to select the seedlings. The farm was doing well. We were expecting the farmers to smile this year. All my efforts have gone down the drain.”

    The Edo State Project Coordinator for the FADAMA III project, Dr. Edward Izevbigie, said he was happy that the Agenebode rice field was not totally submerged by flood.

    “This place is partially submerged. They are still able to make four tons per hectare as against the proposed five tons The adverse effect of the flood is not too much on the farmers since they were still able to harvest.”

    On the Iguoriakhi rice field, Izevbigie noted that manual harvesting was undertaken because the land was not fully mechanised.

    “If the state government had not paid its counterpart funding, the farmers would not have been enjoying the facilities. The state government ensured that the source of input is genuine. Sygenta did the supply of all the seedlings and agro-chemicals that we used.

    “The seed we used has the capacity to produce five tons per hectare. The farmers have started harvesting before the flood disaster. We can see that 70 per cent of the rice field was affected by the flood,” he said.