*The Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development says the ‘resumed smuggling of foreign rice, especially through the land borders, is constituting a serious threat’ to the achievements being recorded in rice production in the country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

In view of the extant ban on rice importation into the country, the Federal Government has intensified efforts at tackling illegal importation of the agricultural produce through the Nigerian land borders.

ConsumerConnect reports Dr. Mohammad Mahmood Abubakar, Honourable Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, who stated this development noted that the Ministry  would continue to plan strategy and collaborate with security agencies to reduce the illegal importation of rice through the Nigerian land borders.

Foreign rice smuggling on motorcycles along Badagry Expressway in Lagos State     File Photo

Mabel Mbosire, Senior Information Officer in the ministry, in a statement issued Sunday, November 7, 2021, said the Minister didclosed this at a meeting of the Steering Committee of the National Taskforce on the illegal importation of rice through the country’s land borders.

The Minister declared that the ban on rice importation had brought about a significant increase in local rice production and unlocked economic opportunities for rice investors in the country.

The statement noted: “The Ministry is very concerned about the increase in smuggling, and has convened this meeting to discuss critical issues in order to strategise and come up with concrete measures to enable the committee to carry out its duties effectively.”

Dr. Abubakar said that the huge improvement in the rice sub-sector of the economy should be sustained for the country’s economic growth in regard to the huge contribution of the agricultural sector to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Some Nigeria Rice brands

According to the Minister, this feat in accordance with the Federal Government’s diversification policy in Nigeria.

He further said: “The resumed smuggling of foreign rice, especially through the land borders, is constituting a serious threat to these achievements.

“Therefore, if the smuggling is left unchecked it will jeopardise all government efforts to enhance the domestic rice industry and make them ineffective.

“The Federal Government and the private sector have invested a lot of resources in rice production and processing over the years, because of the government’s commitment to the development of the sub-sector through its various interventions.”

Abubabkar stated: “The Ministry has been supporting farmers, especially smallholders and rice processors, with quality seeds of improved varieties, production and processing machinery and equipment.

“Also, the provision of modern rice mills of various capacities, parboilers, dryers, colour sorters, in order to boost rice production and improve the quality and competitiveness of domestic rice.”

He added: “The Nigerian rice industry has recorded significant progress in terms of investments due to an increase in the quality and quantity of the milled rice.

“And it has, in turn, increased the competitiveness, consumer preference and patronage of our milled rice.

“There is no better time than now to maintain the rice production momentum, in order to achieve self-sufficiency for food and nutrition security, job creation, wealth generation and import substitution.”