Bag of rice to sell for N6,000

NATIONAL President of Rice Farmers
Association of Nigeria, Aminu Goronyo,
yesterday, disclosed that in the next few
months, a 50kg bag of rice would be
sold at the rate of N6,000.
Goronyo made this known during a
meeting between rice farmers, processors
and the Minister of agriculture, Audu
Ogbeh, at the ministry’s headquarters in
Abuja.

According to the farmers’ boss, the
anticipated crash in prices is due to wet
season bumper harvest by rice farmers,
adding that operators have resolved to
reduce the price of a 50kg bag of rice,
which is currently priced within the
range of N15,000 to N17,000, to N13,000.
“This is just the beginning. The actual
price will still come down because we
are expecting a bumper harvest this
year; we have sat down with the millers
and agreed that we will work together
for the interest of Nigerians.
“At one time, people were buying a
bag of rice at the cost of N18,000, but they
are now buying it at between N13,000
and N15,000. The price is coming down.
In the next few months, God willing,
the price of a 50kg bag of rice will come
down to N6,000. It is achievable, it will
be a reality,’’ he said.
Chairman, Rice Processors Association
of Nigeria, RIPAN, Mohammed
Abubakar, said the association
had signed a Memorandum of
Understanding, MoU, to slash the prices
of both paddy and processed rice.
“We have agreed at N110,000 per
tonne of paddy. In the market, rice will
come around N13,000 to N13,500 per
50kg bag. Before now, we were buying
paddy at N140,000 and N150,000 per
tonne and we are selling our rice at
N16,000 per 50kg bag.
“If this MoU works, we hope to sell
a bag of rice at N13,000 to N13,500,
depending on where you are in the
country.”
Ogbeh commended the associations
for their decision to slash the price of
locally produced rice.
The minister, who noted that the
biggest challenge facing rice farmers in
the country is smuggling, said the move
would aid efforts to stamp out rice
smuggling into the country.
“Let me express the appreciation of
President Muhammadu Buhari and the
Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,
to both farmers and millers because
nobody can calculate what you have
done to rescue our country that was
very close to a disaster.
“What you have done is going to save
us from a lot of difficulties. What we
want to promise you is that we will help
you ease the burden of rice farming.
“Last year, we procured 80,000
threshers; this year, we will procure
another 2,500 threshers and we are
bringing in small reapers for distribution
to rice farmers.
“The equipment will enable them to
cut the rice, thresh it, winnow it and put
it in sacks; It will take away all the stress
which makes rice farming very difficult
so that you can keep to the price of N110,
000 per tonne of paddy that we agreed.
“If we are able to keep these prices
stable and we are able to contain
smuggling, I hope you will keep us
informed when there are any challenges
confronting you because no country
can claim to be strong if its citizens are
hungry.
“Let everybody know that the price
of rice for this Christmas will be good
enough for us to eat rice, chicken and
fish.”
The federal government had banned
the importation to improve local
production and some states like Lagos
and Kebbi have jointly produced rice for
commercial activities in their states.
Data made available by the National
Bureau of Statistics shows that export
activities in the agricultural sector has
been on the rise in 2017.