Rice production has hit a four-year low in Nigeria due to the government flooding the market with imports. 10 years ago the government launched a programme to increase domestic production of the country’s favourite staple food.
But a report today from Al Jazeera shows that high costs of equipment, fertilizer and labour have driven many farmers out of production.
The situation was compounded by the government’s decision in July 2024 to introduce a temporary waiver on import duties to lower the price of rice. This resulted in a flooding of the market with imports and leaving many local producers unable to compete. Cheaper foreign imports have all but reversed earlier gains and the laudable plans to make the country self-sufficient in food production and reduce wean it of costly foreign imports.
Before the regime of President Bola Tinubu came to power in May 2023, a 50kg bag of imported rice sold for about 55,000 naira. It rose to 134,000 naira about a year later. It has now dropped to 65,000 naira in some places due to the lifting of restrictions on imports. But it has come at a heavy price for local producers.
