Agriculture
Importers Relocate Over FG’s Rice Ban
Following the decision of the Federal government to ban importation of rice through the borders, at least not less than 50 Nigerian rice importers have abandoned the neigbouring Cotonou Port to do their business in the country.
According to The Tide source, most of the affected importers are now operating in the country because the government decision has led to increase in the landing cost of rice.
One of the importers, Alhaji Aderonke Kawonise who confirmed the relocation said many of them were finding it very difficult to bring the commodity through the land borders.
“The truth of the matter is that majority of our people operating through the Benin Repubic Port have relocated to the country as many of us are finding it difficult to bring in the commodity through the land borders.
“We also took the decision because of the current scarcity of rice in Thailand”, she added.
Investigation conducted by The Tide in some of the major markets recently reveal that most importers now sell a 50kg bag of the lowest grade of Thailand rice between N7,600 and N7700 while wholesalers and retailers sell between N7800 and N8000.
Kawonise therefore urged the federal government and most especially the ministry of finance to review the duty payable to customs with a view to bringing down its landing cost to make the commodity more affordable to Nigerians.
She said the price of rice has increased geometrically since the federal government banned rice importation through some Idiroko, and other land borders of the country.
On the reason they preferred importing through the Benin Republic, Kawonise said that good quality parboiled rice were being imported through that port, noting that that was the reason why some dealers she referred to as ‘shylock’ traders prefer total ban of the commodity through the borders.
Other importers who spoke under the condition of anonymity said they decided to relocate due to high level surveillance put in place by men of the Nigeria customs, while attributing the high cost of rice to the new tariff regime introduced by the federal government.
So far, rice importation through the borders has stopped while rice smuggling has reduced drastically.
Federal Government and the Ogun State Government, on Wednesday, distributed farm inputs to farmers as part of effort to address food security challenge.
The State Director, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Toyin Ayo-Ajayi, during the flag-off ceremony of Inputs Redemption Under The National Agricultural Growth Scheme-Agro Pocket (NAGS-AP), in Ogun State, disclosed that beneficiaries of the gesture were primarily rice, maize and cassava farmers across the State.
Ayo-Ajayi commended the Ogun State Government for partnering with the government at the centre for the effort in supporting farmers with inputs that would bring about yieldings for local consumption and likely exportation.
She noted that government is supporting rice, cassava and maize farmers with inputs worth N212,000; N189,000 and N186,000 respectively.
The Permanent Secretary in the State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Kehinde Jokotoye, who represented the Commissioner in the Ministry, Bolu Owotomo, stated that traditional farmers are critical in food production, hence the need to encourage and support them with inputs that would bring about desired results during harvesting.
Owotomo said: “Let us make good use of this opportunity, so that the success of this phase will make farmers benefit more from the state and federal governments of Nigeria.”
Earlier, State Coordinator, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Oluwatoyin Ayo-Ajayi, appreciated the present administration for partnering with the federal government for the initiative, adding that the programme is designed to support farmers at the grassroots level in cassava, rice and maize with inputs such as, seeds, pesticides, herbicides and fertilizers, to boost their production and enhance their livelihood.