The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has hinted to consumers about the possibility of an increase in the price of rice as we approach the Yuletide period, stating that the rice in circulation won’t be enough and that the scarcity would make the produce expensive.
The chairman of the Lagos state chapter of the association, Raphael Hunsa, disclosed this while addressing journalists, lamenting that given the current circumstances, the sector and farmers needed urgent attention in order to ensure sufficiency in rice production.
Hunsa, while appealing to the government to amplify its support for rice farmers and cultivation in the country, explained that rice production is being impacted by a number of factors, such as a shortage of labor, outdated machinery, insufficient state and federal government support, and insecurity.
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The RIFAN chairman went further to solicit investments in cutting-edge mechanized equipment so as to facilitate a boost in the industry, noting that a dearth of such equipment had deterred many farmers from cultivation.
“Without all this modern machinery, we cannot achieve self-sufficiency in rice production. We cannot move forward if we remain in our local practice; we will just be producing for consumption. Rice farmers are not much; we are just educating and encouraging people to come into the value chain so that we can have more paddy and milling all year round.
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“We want the government to support us by providing all the equipment required for rice cultivation. We need to combine harvesters, tractors, planters, and other modern machinery that can move us forward and improve our rice production level.
He pointed out that what the country lacks is full commitment and investment in rice cultivation on the part of the government, and that countries we are importing rice from, such as Indonesia, Pakistan, and India, support their rice farmers with improved seedlings and modern equipment.
