President Muhammadu Buhari has urged Nigerians to be patient as the growing food production in the country, will eventually bring down prices of food, making it more affordable for all.
He said across Nigeria, more than 4.8 million smallholder farmers had been supported by Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, with an increase in production of 23 agricultural commodities including maize, rice, oil palm, cocoa, cotton, cassava, tomato and livestock.
Buhari said this at the official commissioning ceremony of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)/Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) Rice Paddy Pyramids at the Abuja International Trade Fair Complex, on Tuesday, as disclosed in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.
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“Today rice production in Nigeria has increased to over 7.5 million metric tons annually. Prior to the introduction of the Anchor Borrowers Programme (APB), the average production in Nigeria between 1999 to 2015 was less than 4 metric tons annually.
“I am aware that the bags of paddy will be moving straight from here to rice milling plants across Nigeria, which lead to the release of processed rice to the markets by the rice millers. The measure will aid our efforts at reducing the price of rice in Nigeria.
“Before this administration launched the ABP, there were only 15 standard Rice mills in Nigeria. As at today, we have over 50 Standard and integrated Rice mills creating jobs and reducing unemployment. We expect additional significant output when two new mills are started in Lagos and Katsina,’’ he said.
The President said the large margins in the business of rice had also encouraged more people to show interest in investing in agribusiness.
were showcased in Argungu, Kebbi State, which was followed by another set in Minna, Niger State, about a year ago and barely three months later in Zauro, Kebbi State, rice pyramids were, again, unveiled.
He added that in May 2021, the CBN unveiled the first rice pyramids in the South-West of Nigeria in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State.
“Those events were historic as, first, they remind us of our yester-year’s agricultural commodity pyramids, such as the groundnut pyramids in Kano and secondly, they symbolize that we can produce what we eat. (Punch)
