www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-38795673
Why does Nigeria import so much rice?




Rice is a big deal in Nigeria. People love eating it. So the BBC's Ijeoma Ndukwe asks: why don't they grow more of it instead of importing so much?

A long line of customers queue along a glass divide separating them from a rice food station at an eatery in Lagos, Nigeria's commercial capital. Diners can choose between white rice, fried rice and jollof at this popular local restaurant known as "The White House".

A steady flow of customers is served in the main hall, and in two packed adjoining rooms diners are enjoying Nigerian dishes.

Rice is the basis of the popular national dish jollof and a staple across the country.

The problem is not a lack of land, or that there are not enough people to grow it in Africa's most populous country.

During the grain market crisis eight years ago, Nigeria experienced shortages in rice that made the country rethink its food security and ability to supply the local market.

As a result, President Muhammadu Buhari has made rice farming a priority.

Nigerians' appetite for rice means that the country imported nearly 17 million tonnes of it over the past five years. Duties for imported rice are currently 60% and consumers have seen the price of a bag of rice double in the past 12 months.

Many domestic players have been entering the market. Olam, a multi-national agribusiness, set up a rice farm in 2012 in response to government calls for local players to help feed the 170 million Nigerians.

Nigeria's rice in numbers


Imported nearly 17 million tonnes over the past five years
Imported 2.3 million tonnes in 2016
2016 demand was 5.2 million tonnes
Spends $5m (£4m) a day for rice shipments
Rice accounted for 1.26% of the entire budget for 2017

It is a bumpy journey to Olam's farm in Rukubi village close to the Benue River in Nasarawa State. The lush green fields of the farm are an oasis among miles and miles of dusty red road and bushes.

Large metal silos carrying 228,000 tonnes of rice rise up from the ground, gleaming in the scorching afternoon sun. Manager Anil Nair, drives us around 4,500 hectares of the farm and mill.

Most of the farm hands have finished work for the day. They usually work in the rice paddies from 07:00, before the sun gets too hot. Only a few women remain, standing ankle deep in the paddies, planting rice seedlings.

This is one of the largest rice farms in Nigeria and although it grows 50,000 tonnes each year, that is still just a small fraction of the country's demand.

Since 2011 Nigeria has imported more than 17 million tonnes of rice
According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the country imported 2.3 million tonnes in 2016, about half of the country's estimated requirements.

Minister of Agriculture Audu Ogbeh says that the culture of importation has to stop.

"We can't afford $5m a day for rice shipments in this country. It's gone on for 40 years. And I assure you that it's our reckless policy of importation that's brought Nigeria down to where she is now.

Those who keep talking of imports either don't mean Nigeria well or simply refuse to recognise the fact that we can't afford the imports."

However, most farmers in Nigeria are small scale and struggle to get the financing they need to improve farming methods and boost their yield.


Members of the Rice Farming Association of Nigeria say they can only access high-interest loans from commercial banks.

Joseph Jatau Kudu has been farming near the town of Doma in Nasarawa State since 1982. He says the banks charge as much as 30% to lend money.

"It's too high. We end up earning nothing," he says.

Without the capital to mechanise, workers must do everything on his 15-hectare farm by hand.

"Sometimes the tractors are not available. So now I'm using manual labour. It's not as effective as in the case of using a tractor and it's one of the reasons I can't expand."

'Pipe dream'

The agriculture minister claims that Nigeria will become self-sufficient in rice production by the end of the year.

However, critics of government policy not only point to a lack of spending on agriculture, but also to an under-investment in the entire value-chain for rice, from field to cooking pot.

Ninety two billion naira ($302m; £240m) was assigned to the sector in the 2017 budget - only 1.26% of the entire budget for the year.

AgroNigeria's Managing Director Richard Mbaram says that achieving self-sufficiency in the next couple of years is merely a "pipe dream".

"Rice production isn't willed into existence. It is cultivated and systematically sown.

"There is research, there is mechanisation, there is warehousing and storage. There is market opening and market access.

"You cannot drive industrialisation or agro-industrialisation without connecting the farm gate where the production is happening. Do we have that? We're very far back in terms of achieving that."

In the meantime, Nigerians' appetite for rice shows no sign of slowing down.

Tch

Because of Jollof rice

See jamb question. BBC abeg na only garri una want make we dey chop?

The reason is because the demand for rice far outweighs the amount of rice produced by our local farmers.

Cos of greed

Rice was never our major food, it started growing more popular this 21st century and it has now replaced Yam as the most consumed meal. So naturally we didn't cultivate Rice in quantity to meet up with the growing demand for it all-over Nigeria.
Secondly, the technical know-how of Rice farming is low in Nigeria.
Basic amenities to grow this sector is better left to the god's to explain because me being a mere mortal can't explain how a country after 50 years of existence can't provide the most basic things for growth.
In short we just can't seem to get the simplest things done.

They are too busy getting irrelevant university certificates but have no idea how to grow rice.

Hmmm

kenonze:
Because it is foreign.
We love foreign goods

Sure you are Amala this morning

As to the question...

Is she asking us why we import petroleum products, why we import toothpick, why we import shoes, why we import "expats", why we import Chinese and garlic smelling creatures called Indians?

She should not ask us these because, soon, we may have to import president!

corruption

Good question

If only other states can follow the Lagos example and cultivate rice am sure it will go a long way in soothing our rice pain.

...because Nigeria is a zoo

Where the f00lish literate eja.culate over foreign products.

imported ear self and series of blood test

"We can't afford $5m a day for rice shipments in this country. It's gone on for 40 years. And I assure you that it's our reckless policy of importation that's brought Nigeria down to where she is now.

Those who keep talking of imports either don't mean Nigeria well or simply refuse to recognise the fact that we can't afford the imports."

People keep screaming at Buhari "open up all the borders, let the rice come in" but they always behave bury their head in the sand like the Ostrich ignoring the above.

It has gotten to a point, where the nation can no longer afford the unbridled importation of rice. We just have to tell ourselves the cold truth and move with it.

As a matter of urgency, we should declare an emergency on rice cultivation and production. We should be able to feed ourselves.

Rice dey sweet na.... Shuuu

no comment

The way some people consume rice is alarming. I only take rice like once in a week, i can cope without it.But beans? i can't cope without it for two days.

White house doesn't serve only rice!!!

The country of misplaced priority.

Our population is overwhelming. Before we can self-sustained ourselves in terms of its production, it would take some years from now. Thank God we have started so let's see how far we can go. Government should encourage and invest heavily in its production as well.

Becoz ppl no wan chop LAKE rice

We're experiencing overpopulation nd as such our rice production isn't sufficient to feed south west alone not to talk of Nigeria at large

we love rice

Do they really want to know?

Ans: when you boil small rice its volume increases by more than 300% and many stomach is filled.