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Rice: FG targets extra 2.9 million metric tonnes

By BusinessNews Staff on February 25, 2015

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has said about 2.9 million metric tonnes of high quality milled rice will added to the existing stock in the country.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development after the minister inspected a 420-hectare rice farm and mill belonging to OLAM Nigeria in Rukubi, near Doma, Nasarawa State.

Adesina noted that the addition would ‘‘bring Nigeria closer to being self-sufficient in rice production and a potential exporter of milled rice.”

According to him, 1.9 million metric tonnes of rice were produced in the country in the 2013 dry and wet seasons, contributing N320bn to the Gross Domestic Product and creating 670,000 jobs in the process.

The minister also said the government’s ‘rice revolution’ was gaining momentum, with projected 2.9 million metric tonnes of the grain in 2014.

He added that with importation at about 1.9 million to 2.0 million metric tonnes per annum, Nigeria was already at the exit door of rice importation.

Adesina was quoted as saying, “We are going to be the Thailand of Africa in terms of rice production and export. Nigeria has also seen other prime players investing in the rice value chain. A multinational conglomerate, the Stallion Group, has established fully integrated agricultural operations, including world-class rice mills at strategic locations to promote milling and paddy cultivation in the captive areas.

“The group has fully backward-integrated its rice value chain vis a vis production, procurement through collection centre, association with co-operatives and farmers, logistic and post-harvest services, marketing and acting as a catalyst toward sustainable growth.’’

The minister further said the Federal Government was putting in place the enabling environment for the production of rice on small, medium and large-scale through its Growth Enhancement Support Scheme for the rice value chain under the Agriculture Transformation Agenda launched in 2011.

He added that new varieties of the produce had revolutionised rice production in Nigeria, as the ministry, through seed companies, had consistently multiplied and distributed seeds to farmers for cultivation since 2011 when the implementation of the GES commenced.

Adesina said besides seed and extension support to farmers, efforts were ongoing to develop and strengthen other elements of the rice value chain, including subsidised inputs and mechanisation services through the Agricultural Equipment Hiring Service for which financing support was accessible through the Bank of Agriculture and Bank of Industry.

The minister, who was visibly impressed with the wide land area under cultivation, the growing stockpile of mill-ready paddy rice, mechanised planting, harvesting operations and land preparation for a new planting season, as well as the installation of the 600-metric-tonne capacity mill, said that all the factors favourable for growing and processing large quantities of rice were not only already in place in the country, but effectively working.

“Prior to the launch of the ATA in 2011, only one integrated rice mill was in place; but in addition to 12 others, the 60,000-tonne OLAM Farm Mill expected to commence milling in June brings the number of mills to 13 within three years. Small mills, which are now 4,350 in number, growing at an annual rate of 40 per cent, are the major rice milling drivers.’’

According to him, paddy bulking and aggregation centres, a bridge between rice farmers and millers will be established to effectively tackle problems of stock supply security identified by investors, including poor infrastructure and access to credit.

[Punch]

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