By Nse Anthony-Uko
(Sundiata Post) – Rice farmers are anticipating a bumper harvest which will see the price of 50kg bag crashing to as low as N6,000 in the nearest future.
Rice farmers, millers and processors on Wednesday announced that the price of a 50kg bag of the produce would fall to around N6,000 in the next few months.
According to them, the current market price of rice, which is about N15,000 per 50kg bag, will drop to between N6,000 and N7,000 in a couple of months going by the bumper wet season harvest by farmers.
Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting between the rice farmers/processors and the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, at the ministry’s headquarters, in Abuja, the National President, Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Aminu Goronyo, told journalists that the operators had resolved to reduce the price of the commodity to N13,000 per 50kg bag, but stressed that the price would further drop to N6,000 in the coming months.
He said, “This is just the beginning, the actual price of rice will come down because we are expecting a bumper harvest this year. We have sat down with the millers and agreed that we are going to work together in the interest of Nigerians
Chairman Rice Processors Association, Alh. Mohammed Abubakar also said the price of rice was also an issue that bothered the farmers and producers even as he expressed the desire to bring down the cost to its barest minimum as soon as possible.
He said following a meeting between the producers and miller’s they had agreed to bring down the cost of paddy rice from N150,000 to N110,000 as its currently being sold
“If price of rice comes down we are sure rate of smuggling will reduce, once we get the cost of paddy to come down, we assure the price of rice will come down” he said
Mallam Abubakar said “our quality now at par with any in the world, quality is no longer a challenge but issues of smuggling is no 1,2 and 3 issues affecting farmers, adding that rice smuggling if not checked by the Nigerian customs kills the industry and moral of the farmer”
He said the issue of quality was no longer an issue as the quality of Nigeria rice was no longer in doubt and hoped Nigerian rice will be at par with any other rice in the world.
The Miller’s Chairman lamented that the challenges faced by rice farmers were enormous and varied from the high rate of smuggling, high cost of production (finance) poor infrastructure amongst several others.
He added that with Nigeria being the number one importer of rice, it would take a while for the nation to not just overcome that challenge and even become self-sufficient and a net exporter.
Responding, the Minister, Chief Audu Ogbeh commended the efforts of the President and Vice president in their diversification drive.
While commending the efforts of the farmers the minister commended the rescue they brought as he noted that prices had gone up as naira went down in value.
Chief Ogbeh assured that the Senate has been making several efforts and had held about 3 meetings while the Vice president had held over 5 meetings with different groups to assuage the challenges faced by Nigerian farmers
The Minister assured that steps were being taken and some serious news would be heard very soon even as he assured FG was committed to easing the burden of rice farming in Nigeria.
He stressed that the Federal Government had purchased 8000 thrashers in the past and was committed to bringing in another 2500 this year