The Federal Government yesterday disclosed that a whopping sum of N350 billion was spent on rice importation annually.
The Minister of State for Agriculture and Rural Development, Alhaji Bukar Tijiani, who said this at a rice transformation value chain stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, decried the effect of such huge amount of rice importation on the economy.
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?He said: “It is disheartening to know that the country spends N350 billion every year on rice importation alone. You and I know the devastating effect this has been having on the lives of individuals and it has to stop within the stipulated four years the? President has given. Rice, as we all know, is a staple food in the country and I want to enjoin you all not to only produce rice, but quality and world-class type in the country.”
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The minister who? further called on banks and relevant agencies to assist farmers to meet the transformation agenda of President Goodluck Jonathan on adequate provision of quality rice in the country, however, explained that with the irrigable lands in Nigeria, the task of local production to the tune of five million tones would be fulfilled.
In his words: “The transformation agenda of the President on food security general is that importation of rice should stop within four years. I want to implore you all that the green revolution for rice will no longer be paper work. That is why I am calling on you stakeholders, especially banks and relevant financial institutions to come to the aid of farmers, especially those who are farming rice to assist them in getting adequate finance for their produce.”
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The minister also said that? imported rice into the country were? not fresh and have lost most of the nutrients based on long years of production before importation.
According to him:? “I want to make it clear here that the rice being imported into the country must have spent at least five years before the final importation. Some might have been stocked for close to 10 to 15 years before importation to Nigeria, leaving just the carbohydrate in food with the necessary ingredient flushed away with the long year of production. The countries where the rice is being imported do not eat parboiled rice. They eat it fresh with all the necessary ingredients in place.
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That is why it is important we produce our own locally here to enjoin all the ingredients in place as well as importing it to other countries too.”
He solicited for private sectors’ full participation in the production of qualitative rice, as he said government could not achieve the task alone.
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