Local rice more competitive in the market – Rivers farmers

Tina Amanda

Rice farmers in Rivers state says there is a rise in the demand and supply of local rice production.

Chairman Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Rivers state branch, Ndubisi Eme, who disclosed this to our reporter Tina Amanda said local rice has become more competitive in the market compared to imported rice.

According to him, the boost in local rice production was enhanced through the ban of imported rice by the federal government, stressing that in no distance time locally made rice in the country will overtake imported rice.

“The sales for this year on locally produced rice was encouraging. This is the first time in the history of the country where locally produced rice is competing and even over running that of the foreign rice, in a situation where imported rice is not in the market, that is the opportunity for rise in the demand of Nigerian rice.

“We actually sold so much and there was high demand in our local rice more than foreign rice. I believe that with the doubled effort of rice farmers and other people who have diversified into farming, we will do a lot better in the coming year‘’

Also speaking, Patron of Rice Farmers Association Rivers state, Chief Winike Wocha noted that the association is set to produce about 200-300 25kg bags of rice come 2019 while calling on the government to support rice farmers to enable them to produce in larger quantity to meet up with consumers’ demand.

“We couldn’t meet up the demands of local rice in the state because of the little quantity we produced. We have acquired a very large expanse of land about ten thousand plots to cultivate rice next year. We are appealing to government to assist genuine rice farmers with financial support and monitor them. If government can do that then there will be surplus of rice production in the state”

He further urged stakeholders to invest more into rice farming in order to grow the economy of the nation and also for food production.