There is a strong indication that the Federal Government may soon place total ban on importation of rice, fish and other food items into the country.
Giving the hint in Lagos,the Senior Technical Adviser to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development; Dr Niyi Odunlami, said that government was desirous of stopping the importation of rice, fish, wheat and tomatoes.
Odunlami spoke as a member of the supervision team visiting staple crops processing zones of the World Bank-assisted Commercial Agriculture Development (CADP) project in Lagos.
He said that the Federal Government was working in partnership with state and local governments as well as Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to bring infrastructural development to rural farming areas.
”The Federal Government cannot do it alone; it needs the collaboration of states and local governments as well as LCDAs.
”The rural farming areas need to be developed in terms of infrastructure, so as to reduce or possibly eradicate the importation of what can be produced here, such as wheat, vegetable, rice and fish.
“The fish we import is not different from what we can find in the Nigerian waters,” Odunlami said, adding that there is absolute need to develop staple crop processing zones.
Some primary processing zones in the country had been selected as models.
They include Kogi, Kano, Niger, Lagos and Rivers states. The supervisory mission commenced work on Nov. 28, with a visit to the Lagos State Integrated Rice Processing Factory, Imota.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2013/12/fg-eradicate-importation-rice-food-items/

wow!

Seconded,but let it be after this season.

There seems to be no clear cut policy coming from FG in terms of food importation. Today we hear something else, tomorrow we hera another thing. The masses are suffering and paying more for everything yet no improvement in earnings.

I would have preferred the placing of very high import duties on these items and on the other hand providing huge grants, tax cuts, etc on the indigenous alternatives.

When a bag of imported rice starts selling for 70000 NGN, and the same bag of Nigerian grown rice sells for 8000 NGN no one will tell us not to develop taste for Nigerian rice.

Same for fish, tomatoes etc

FG shld be serious wenever dy want 2 ban products in the country. Turkey,chiken have been banned yet we still dy see dm 4 our Kaba.

U knw d problem of dz country, we dnt appreciate our own.if dm sell imported rice 4 70000 sm pple go still buy am.no b naija

yousee: I would have preferred the placing of very high import duties on these items and on the other hand providing huge grants, tax cuts, etc on the indigenous alternatives.

When a bag of imported rice starts selling for 70000 NGN, and the same bag of Nigerian grown rice sells for 8000 NGN no one will tell us not to develop taste for Nigerian rice.

Same for fish, tomatoes etc

Ismahill: U knw d problem of dz country, we dnt appreciate our own.if dm sell imported rice 4 70000 sm pple go still buy am.no b naija

I know that even if it sells for more, many Nigerians will still buy.

I am not interested in that class of Nigerians. I'm more concerned with those earning 150000 and below per month

This plan is just to make Dangote and the custom officers richer than bfor. . .are they makings sure that s alternatives are readily available? And are there competitors with dangote?

.

That will be a good step for agricultural development in the Nigeria.

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