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Establish  structures for rice exportation –  agric economist urges FG

 

 

Establish  structures for rice exportation –  agric economist urges FG

 

 

By Simon Akoje
Lagos, Feb. 3, 2020 (NAN) An agricultural economist, Mr Bright Okwu, has advised the Federal Government to put in place necessary structures to ensure that its desire to export Nigerian rice is achievable.

 Okwu, the National Coordinator  of  Africa  Farming Projects, a non-governmental organisation, gave the advice  in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday.

“For  the idea of exporting rice to become  attainable, the government needs to support more local fabrication of  milling machines in the country.

“ Also, making available a  bird scaring technology that will curb eating of the rice in farms will be necessary,’’ he  told NAN.

He said that the Federal Government would need to invest in key infrastructure that would improve rice production.

 He also suggested that the government should give incentives that would encourage  the private sector to drive the various value chains.

“The government must give incentives for the private sector to bring modern farming machines that would change the production narratives so that the country will be a rice exporter,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the Federal Government has said that Nigeria  might  begin rice exportation by 2022.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Sabo Nanono, made the disclosure at a media briefing after a working visit to the headquarters of Nestle Nig.  Plc in Lagos on  Jan. 27.

He noted that Nigeria’s closure of its land borders had resulted in increased outputs by many rice milling plants  operating below installed capacities before the closure.

 

“If we maintain the momentum in the next two years, we may export rice to other countries,” Nanono had said.(NAN)

STA/VIV/IGO
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Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Ijeoma Popoola

Agriculture

Rice Sufficiency: Expert calls for more private investments

 

 

Rice

 

 

By Simon Akoje

Lagos, Nov. 13, 2019 (NAN) An Agric Economist, Mr Bright Okwu, has called for more private sector investments in rice production in the country, in order to drive its sufficiency.

Okwu, who is the National Coordinator of  Africa Farmers Project, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, on Wednesday that the Federal Government must begin to give more support to the private sector, to boost rice production.

“The private sector is best suitable to scale up production in the country because they are better organised.

“ They have the appropriate skills and competence to change the narratives,’’ he said.

Okwu said that the Dangote’s initiative to build milling plants would address the high demand for rice.

“ The idea behind the establishing of the plants should be commended, because it will create employment opportunities.

“ The initiative will boost domestic capacity and will enable the commencement of rice export from the country in no distant future,’’ he said.

NAN reports that Gov. Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State had on Sunday commended the Dangote Group for setting up a rice mill in the state, saying it would create employment and boost the economy.

Bagudu, according to a statement by his Press Secretary, Mr Abubakar Dakingari, visited the factory site at Saminaka in Shanga Local Government Area of the state.

He said that the investment would also rack up the rice value chain and add value to local farmers.

The statement indicated that the facilities for the factory, which would have 32 silos, were being installed as at the time of the visit by Gov. Bagudu, who was in company with legislators and top government officials during the visit. (NAN)

STA/VIV/SOA

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Editing by Vivian Ihechu/Oluwole Sogunle

Economy

CBN spends N146bn to support 849,480 rice farmers – Emefiele

CBN spends N146b to support 849,480 farmers – Emefiele

By Mustapha Sumaila
Rice
Abuja, Sept. 19, 2019 (NAN) The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) says it spent N146 billion to support 849,480 wet and dry seasons rice farmers across the country.

The CBN Governor, Mr Godwin Emefiele, gave the details at a meeting with some state Governors in Abuja on Thursday.

Emefiele said that the bank was working with other stakeholders to wage war against smuggling of rice into the country.

He explained that CBN had financed the construction of rice mills to support food self-sufficiency and security.

He said that Dangote Farms was also constructing five mills; two in Jigawa and one each in Kebbi, Zamfara and Sokoto states.

The CBN governor said that other rice mills funded by the bank included the WACOT and Labana Rice Mills in Kebbi State and Umza Rice Mill in Kano.

According to him, the CBN’s focus will remain on sectors that can create jobs on a mass scale.

He also said that the Bank would also pay closer attention at financing sectors that could help Nigeria to “reduce its burgeoning import bill and conserve much needed foreign exchange”.

“The bank will maintain a keen interest in supporting the creation of an enabling environment to trigger private sector investment.

“Our emphasis will focus on value chain financing in 10 priority commodities. These products have been responsible for a significant share of our country’s food import bill in the last couple of years,” he said.

Emefiele, who commended the Federal Government on border closure to address the issue of smuggling in the country, said that such steps had yielded positive result.

He said some farmers and millers in some parts of the country had complained of lack of patronage before the closure.

“But as soon as the borders were closed, they exhausted all they had in warehouses and did not have any in stock to supply their customers,” Emefiele said.

The Chairman of Governors Forum, Dr Kayode Fayemi of Ekiti State, thanked Emefiele for the stride recorded in agricultural sector, pointing out that it is now clear that the country is making a headway in ensuring food security.

Fayemi said that agriculture was the fastest way to create jobs for the citizenry.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Governors of Adamawa, Anambra, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Edo, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kebbi, Lagos, Ogun, Sokoto, Katsina and Zamfara States attended the meeting. (NAN)
MS/DOE/MST
Edited by Dianabasi Effiong/Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Economy

Customs discovers new method of smuggling rice

Customs discovers new method of smuggling rice
By Yakubu Uba
NAN-H-27
Rice
Mubi (Adamawa), Dec. 20, 2017 (NAN) The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) says it has uncovered new methods of smuggling rice at the commercial border town of Mubi in Adamawa.
The Adamawa/Taraba Area Comptroller of the service, Mr Adetoye Francis, said this while inspecting a tipper lorry truck and two tricycles loaded with suspected smuggled rice in Mubi town on Wednesday.
Francis warned smugglers that the service under the present administration has zero tolerance for any act of economic sabotage.
He said that the command had identified new ways smugglers adopted to conduct their nefarious activities such as using tipper lorries carrying sand with bags of rice beneath the sand in an attempt to deceive custom officials.
“They (smugglers) are using the cover of on-going construction work going on in Mubi by using tippers meant for conveying sand for smuggling by covering the items with sand.
“The lorry you are seeing here was arrested along the Mubi-Sahuda border road with 52 bags of rice covered with sand,” Francis said.
He commended the officers and men of the Mubi office of the command for their commitment to check smuggling at the border town and assured them of support at all time.
The comptroller, who also addressed some members of Mubi business community, cautioned them on the dangers of smuggling on the economy and the consequences if caught.
Earlier, the Officer-in-Charge of Mubi Unit, Mr Aliyu Bunza, who narrated the successes recorded by the unit in checking the activities of smugglers around the border town, lauded the support and cooperation the command is receiving from other security operatives in the area.
Also speaking, some representatives of Mubi business community, Alhaji Sanusi Hassan and Malam Sali Manaja, declared support of their members to customs’ effort to check smuggling.
They promised to continue to educate their members against smuggling. (NAN)
YMU/MST
Edited by Muhammad Suleiman Tola

Health

Adamawa Govt. donates 5 cows, rice to corps members

Adamawa Govt. donates 5 cows, rice to corps members

NAN-HG-5

Welfare

Yola, Jan. 26, 2017 (NAN) The Adamawa Government has donated 50 bags of rice and five cows to Batch B Stream II of the National Youth Service Corps  (NYSC) members deployed to the state for their primary assignment.

Gov. Bindow Jibrilla announced the donation on Thursday in Yola at the swearing-in ceremony of the corps members.

NAN recalls that the Federal Government suspended the hosting of the NYSC members in insurgency affected states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe in 2013.

Jibrilla said that the security and welfare of the corps members was paramount to his administration.

He said that he would continue to liaise with the state directorate of the corps to ensure their welfare.

The governor urged them to demonstrate patriotism in their areas of primary assignment.

Earlier, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed, the state Coordinator of NYSC, said that 1,852 corps members were registered for the orientation.

Mohammed said that the orientation camp hosted 950 male and 902 female corps members.

He commended the state government for supporting the orientation programme, adding that the federal government had made adequate provision for the welfare of the corps members.

The coordinator also commended security agencies in the state for their effort in securing the orientation camp. (NAN)

MK/JEY/MST

Edited by Johnson Eyiangho/Muhammad Suleiman Tola