Nigeria has taken over from Egypt as number one rice producer in Africa, having satisfied local rice demand with about 3.8 million tonnes and leaving the rest for export. Egypt had been Africa’s largest rice producer cultivating over 445,000 hectares of farmland to produce 4.4 million tonnes annually, for both local consumption and exports.

Director General of the Africa Rice Centre in Benin Republic, Harold Roy-Macauley, told The Nation recently that Nigeria is now Africa’s largest rice producer.

According to Roy-Macauley, Nigeria now produces 4 million tonnes of rice annually, which is 400,000 tonnes smaller than Egypt’s annual production. Although the Nigerian government has made efforts to boost local rice production in recent times, Nigeria was only able to surpass Egypt at this time because the North African country voluntarily reduced rice production in 2018.

In March 2018, Abdelatif Khalid, head of the irrigation department at Egypt’s ministry of irrigation and water resources, said the country reduced cut rice production by 40% to save water. “We cannot do anything else in light of the limited amounts of water we have. We have to grow less rice to save the water for other uses,” he said.

“Egypt is water-poor already and it cannot keep growing crops that need huge amounts of water. Growing crops like rice and exporting it is akin to exporting water, which should not be allowed for a country like Egypt.”

Data made available by the Thai Rice Exporters Association website shows that Nigeria’s rice imports from the country have reduced.

At present, the Central Bank of Nigeria provides support to smallholder farmers by providing loans and linking them with companies in the processing of key agricultural commodities.

SOURCE: https://businesselitesafrica.com/trending/nigeria-now-no1-rice-producer-in-africa/

Me and you know you are lying.

Carry on deceiving yourself.

Self sufficiency that doesn't translate to a cheaper market price of the commodity is a mirage.

The claims that these imported rice were enemical to health has been dispeled as these seizures are the main staples in the IDP camps in Borno state.

This would be great news if its true, I love my country

having satisfied local rice demand with about 3.8 million tonnes and leaving the rest for export.

Dis ryt here is d lie of d year...

And where is the 3.8 million tonnes?

In Lai mohammed's bedroom I guess

Then wre the rice na...

This is Buhari's handwork