recent news for the upcoming holiday season. hopefully it holds true!

Rice will be cheaper before Christmas, says Kebbi governor

https://www.thecable.ng/rice-will-get-cheaper-before-christmas-kebbi-governor-assures/amp?fbclid=


The National Food Security Council (NFSC), chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, says it will make rice available before Christmas.

Atiku Bagudu, governor of Kebbi and the deputy chairman of the council, told NAN in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, that the council is aware of the current high prices of rice.

According to the governor, the government is also aware of the activities of some individuals and groups bent on frustrating the new rice policy.

“The good news is that there is a lot of production in the country. All the millers in Nigeria have enough paddy and farmers are producing and the harvest is coming in strong,” he said.

“We believe in addition to market forces, there are some people bent on manipulating the situation in order to exploit bigger revenue, bigger profits and some may even be doing so for the wrong reason.

“They want to truncate policy which is helping the Nigerian economy; which is helping Nigerian millers; which is helping the Nigerian farmers and the Nigerian population.

“We are taking steps to ensure that more rice is taken to markets where shortages can easily be created.

“There is enough product in the country and the National Food Security Council is focused on how to ensure that availability is restored all across the country so that prices will come down reflective of the cost of production.”

Since the country’s land borders were closed and forex restricted for the importation of rice, a 50kg bag of the commodity has increased to an average of N22,000 from N14,000.

On the reported loss of about N1 billion by onion farmers in Kebbi state, Bagudu said the government would always respond to farmers’ predicaments promptly.

He disclosed that the federal government had approved N23billion for distribution to states affected by floods.

“For the onion farmers, they have calculated that the rain will stop by September because when onion is growing there is a point at which it does not desire rainfall, now we have rainfall,” he said.

“I’m not sure of the N1 billion loss in terms of the quantum because we have not done the assessment but we are always willing and ready to support all our producers especially when they are faced with unforeseen circumstances like this.”

Bagudu was on the entourage of Buhari’s official visit to Saudi Arabia which ended on Saturday.

Others governors on the entourage included Babagana Zulum of Borno and Aminu Masari of Katsina.

Agboriotejoye:

Ok. Now tell me if local production has improved since the border closure. The evidence says otherwise.
Know that rice is not the only goods imported through the Benin port. It's because the Nigerian ports are inefficient that goods have to go through Benin. That said, rice is smuggled through our borders because our customs is compromised. Note that imported rice has NEVER been cheaper than local rice. It's the quality and the quantity that made it desirable than local rice.

Again, noodles were never produced locally before dufil came you have also said. So all these talk of tariff and border closure to encourage local production of noodles does not arise

Yes not only rice, contraband products like poultry and fish were equally imported through Benin and the government looked the other way and contravening the existing ECOWAS protocols they agreed to.

Rice production has increased and would continue to increase as attested to farmers on ground. Give us the total production of rice in 2018 and by October 2019 and let's compare.

At a point you said foreign rice was cheaper and now saying it hasn't been cheaper, your quality story doesn't add up in the markets and Nigerians can attest to it.
Several have been eating local rice before the border closure and thinking it was foreign till date.

Noodles and spags were not smuggled before now, they were duly imported and all tariffs paid which made other companies to come into the business and made prices low.

Agboriotejoye:

That of cement is well known. Kindly show when importation of noodles and spaghetti was banned.
Even importation of sugar was never banned. If you have info abt that pls share

Those products you mentioned were not banned and neither was there any reported smuggling. Just import, pay the normal tariffs and move on.

gregyboy:



We dont need you kind in politcs you are just a pure dictator

Go to Aso Rock and tell Buhari that, borders remain shut for all we care.

Area4Area:
Yes not only rice, contraband products like poultry and fish were equally imported through Benin and the government looked the other way and contravening the existing ECOWAS protocols they agreed to.

Rice production has increased and would continue to increase as attested to farmers on ground. Give us the total production of rice in 2018 and by October 2019 and let's compare.

At a point you said foreign rice was cheaper and now saying it hasn't been cheaper, your quality story doesn't add up in the markets and Nigerians can attest to it.
Several have been eating local rice before the border closure and thinking it was foreign till date.

Noodles and spags were not smuggled before now, they were duly imported and all tariffs paid which made other companies to come into the business and made prices low.

An increase in production should be followed by a reduction in price. This is because supply will increase and force price down. This has not been the case with rice so... Your rice farmers are either lying or sabotaging the economy which makes them no different from smugglers.
I never said foreign rice was cheaper and I'm sure you know it has never been cheaper except you know nothing abt what you're arguing about.

The quality story is very simple. Stone, grain size and taste are different. No need denying facts. I've eaten local rice several times too so stop acting as if you're the only person who eats it.

As I've said noodles and spaghetti do not have the same trajectory as rice so I don't still get ur comparison. The dude arguing abt ban of noodles himself attested dat dufil used to import it before moving to producing locally. So, I don't see how it can be compared to rice that is being produced locally and competing with foreign rice. Hope you get the gist.

Area4Area:
Those products you mentioned were not banned and neither was there any reported smuggling. Just import, pay the normal tariffs and move on.

Debaiz:


Wait are you saying importation of cement, noodles and spaghetti was not banned? I’m forced to ask how old are you?

Nobody produces in an import dependent country. Even dangote was protected by the military for importing sugar before he he started producing. There’s no way any industry can survive without protection from the govt. obj had to ban importation of SA made recharge cards to promote local production.

Dufil didn’t start producing in nigeria. They started with importation. Get your facts right and stop promoting your ignorance.

Tell dis guy. He thinks otherwise. I'm still waiting for his evidence of when sugar, noodles and spaghetti were banned.
Meanwhile the dangote he mentioned was a sole importer then o.

Virus99:

Pls where u base?

am in Anambra

Agboriotejoye:


Tell dis guy. He thinks otherwise. I'm still waiting for his evidence of when sugar, noodles and spaghetti were banned.
Meanwhile the dangote he mentioned was a sole importer then o.

I’m asking you again. How old are you?

You don’t come online to argue with people who knows more than you.

Mention just 10 from the list below that Nigeria don’t produce presently?

Now get an education and stay off my mentions.

Cc

Area4Area

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256033845_Entrepot_Trade_and_Smuggling_in_West_Africa_Benin_Togo_and_Nigeria

Area4Area:
You started the derailing, everyone was talking about border closure and its effects before you brought in the travel wahala, I tried pulling you back to topic by telling you to go into farming because of the border closure, you started asking about my achievement which I told you to open another thread for so myself and other Nigerians can give their testimonies.
Stop derailing abeg, you demanded something else on another thread instead of opening another thread for such.

I've given you reasons why the border was shut, scroll up to read it up

If u didn't open another thread b4 u "advised" me to go into farming, then y should I open a new thread because I asked u tell me how urself have taken advantage of ur advise of "taken up d opportunity that buhari has offered Nigerians"? D question is a follow up to ur advise. If u wanted to advise people on going into agriculture, then u should have as well opened another thread. D implication of all this is that u are guilty of derailing d thread because d thread isn't about giving people advise.

Let me repeat myself. With regards to u saying I derailied d thread, can u pls intimate me on d reason 4d border closure?

Agboriotejoye:

An increase in production should be followed by a reduction in price. This is because supply will increase and force price down. This has not been the case with rice so... Your rice farmers [/b]are either lying or sabotaging the economy which makes them no different from smugglers.
I never said foreign rice was cheaper and [b]I'm sure you know it has never been cheaper except you know nothing abt what you're arguing about.

The quality story is very simple. Stone, grain size and taste are different. No need denying facts. I've eaten local rice several times too so stop acting as if you're the only person who eats it.

As I've said noodles and spaghetti do not have the same trajectory as rice so I don't still get ur comparison. The dude arguing abt ban of noodles himself attested dat dufil used to import it before moving to producing locally. So, I don't see how it can be compared to rice that is being produced locally and competing with foreign rice. Hope you get the gist.

You're not a Nigerian with such statement.

You don't visit our open markets to assert this. Most Nigerians know you're lying.
Beg in the normal form and we may forgive but stop testing our resolve, even your president and ministers have not been having it easy.

Do we care is the question?

Badmouth our rice while claiming to be Nigerian but we understand you ungrateful and beggarly Ghanaians

https://9newsng.com/border-closure-ghana-businesses-may-fold-up-ghana-chamber-of-commerce/

Debaiz:


I’m asking you again. How old are you?

You don’t come online to argue with people who knows more than you.

Mention just 10 from the list below that Nigeria don’t produce presently?

Now get an education and stay off my mentions.

Cc


https://www.researchgate.net/publication/256033845_Entrepot_Trade_and_Smuggling_in_West_Africa_Benin_Togo_and_Nigeria

I stand corrected on the strength of ur evidence. However, here's a link which shows imported spaghetti still exists in Nigeria.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/224628-despite-ban-imported-spaghetti-still-sold-nigerian-malls.html
Note also that dufil started producing noodles in Nigeria since 1996 and as at then, noodles importation was not banned. I hope you understand what this implies as per ur argument that only import ban can encourage local production

Area4Area:
I know he's the president and can travel with members of his family just like past heads of state and that's why I didn't complain unlike you who started complaining.
OBJ, late Yar'Adua, GEJ all traveled with their families and friends on our forex and you said nothing, why bringing this as a topic?
Stop derailing abeg and face topic

According to u:

"Don't mind those unpatriotic people who can import air to breathe and water to flush their toilets, ask them how much they contribute to our forex and they start staring at you like morons."

Pls how is this related or connected with d thread? U just derailed d thread.
U accused me of complaining. Can u pls show me d "complains"? Ur comment I just quoted is a classic example of a complain. Its even worse cos u can't even answer d follow up questions to d comments that u made. So let me ask again, how much forex have u made 4 Nigeria that u are accusing other Nigerians of not generating forex 4 Nigeria? I hope u are as productive as those that u accuse of unproductivity.

U talking of obj, GEJ and yar'adua as d standard 4 measuring and justifying buharis actions. If they are d standard, that means buhari isn't better than them. Also, d 3 men u mentioned didn't promise to end medical tourism. Did they? buhari promised to end medical tourism in other to save forex, help d economy& d local health sector. Has he fulfilled d promise? How do u justify that and then u condemn Nigerians eating foreign rice?

Area4Area:
You can go and confirm yourself, you expect me to rush down and start snapping?
You buy local rice and you're still asking me to go snap pictures, I guess you usually travel to Mars to buy it.
The high price is because of demand and supply factor and with time, it would stabilize and start dropping.

if these effective measures are put in place for the next 4 years, Nigeria will start exporting rice

Area4Area:
You're not a Nigerian with such statement.

You don't visit our open markets to assert this. Most Nigerians know you're lying.
Beg in the normal form and we may forgive but stop testing our resolve, even your president and ministers have not been having it easy.

Let us see and taste local rice from Ghana, we don't even need your crappy goods and trash anyway.

Pele o omo Nigeria rere.
I'm not arguing with you to prove I'm a Nigerian or not. What I'm trying to let you understand is that border closure is not a veritable policy to encourage local production of rice especially if you factor in the issues around our local rice. I also let you know that production as not increased since price has not fallen since the closure. It's not only smuggling that's economic sabotage. Artificial scarcity and monopoly also inhibit economic progress which is why trade liberalisation and anti-trust are important fulcrums of US and other western nation's commerce.
I need you to understand I'm not against border closure per se. What I'm saying is that it's not necessarily going to improve the quality/quantity of our local rice or reduce price as events have shown. If you can't understand this, then I can't really help you further.
P.S: Patriotism is not supporting the govt unconditionally. It's about telling the truth about the country to fellow citizens

Agboriotejoye:

I stand corrected on the strength of ur evidence. However, here's a link which shows imported spaghetti still exists in Nigeria.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/224628-despite-ban-imported-spaghetti-still-sold-nigerian-malls.html
Note also that dufil started producing noodles in Nigeria since 1996 and as at then, noodles importation was not banned. I hope you understand what this implies as per ur argument that only import ban can encourage local production

Who is contesting if noodles and spags were allowed to be imported, were they allowed to be smuggled by Benin is the question

lexy2014:


According to u:

"Don't mind those unpatriotic people who can import air to breathe and water to flush their toilets, ask them how much they contribute to our forex and they start staring at you like morons."

Pls how is this related or connected with d thread? U just derailed d thread.
U accused me of complaining. Can u pls show me d "complains"? Ur comment I just quoted is a classic example of a complain. Its even worse cos u can't even answer d follow up questions to d comments that u made. So let me ask again, how much forex have u made 4 Nigeria that u are accusing other Nigerians of not generating forex 4 Nigeria? I hope u are as productive as those that u accuse of unproductivity.

U talking of obj, GEJ and yar'adua as d standard 4 measuring and justifying buharis actions. If they are d standard, that means buhari isn't better than them. Also, d 3 men u mentioned didn't promise to end medical tourism. Did they? buhari promised to end medical tourism in other to save forex, help d economy& d local health sector. Has he fulfilled d promise? How do u justify that and then u condemn Nigerians eating foreign rice?

Move on Biko, try as much as you want but you'd never derail this thread.

Ichiebillion:
if these effective measures are put in place for the next 4 years, Nigeria will start exporting rice

Sure bros

Area4Area:
Who is contesting if noodles and spags were allowed to be imported, were they allowed to be smuggled by Benin is the question

Come you think it's Benin people that are involved in the smuggling?
Bros majority of the smugglers are Nigerians

Agboriotejoye:

I stand corrected on the strength of ur evidence. However, here's a link which shows imported spaghetti still exists in Nigeria.
https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/224628-despite-ban-imported-spaghetti-still-sold-nigerian-malls.html
Note also that dufil started producing noodles in Nigeria since 1996 and as at then, noodles importation was not banned. I hope you understand what this implies as per ur argument that only import ban can encourage local production

You’re not talking about sugar and cement again?



Stop blabbing and accept you were ignorant.


You’re just grasping at conjectures.

Dufil didn’t start producing in nigeria in 1996 same way five alive wasn’t producing anything in nigeria in and MTN wasn’t producing recharge cards in nigeria until OBJ stopped all of them from importing.

I ask you a question. Name 10 items on that list that nigeria do not produce presently.

If you were too young when those decisions were made, don’t come here questioning people who weren’t. Instead ask questions.

In the next 10-20years, young ones would come to you with this kind of your lame argument that rice was never banned in nigeria. They will come with the same excuse the western economists is programming into your heads that protectionism don’t help any industry. All because they want to keep pushing their products into the country. When that time comes, it would be easier for you to defend ur argument than it is for me today because we have internet today as against 15years ago.

Yes we have imported spaghetti today same way we now have imported sugar but the difference is that they can’t really compete with our local sugar industry let alone kill it.

The whole point of protectionism is to protect up and coming industry and shield them away from unfavorable competition from foreign established industries. Once the industry is established, the import restriction is removed to drive down price through competition.

The problem with Dangote cement was that the corrupt govt instead of protecting small cement companies from going under when dangote was coming up, they allied dangote to buy them up thereby creating a monopoly rather than local compettition.

Area4Area:
Move on Biko, try as much as you want but you'd never derail this thread.

I wasn't derailing d thread in d first place. Not too sure how u came u to that conclusion when u are d one who was actually derailing d thread

Debaiz:


You’re not talking about sugar and cement again?



Stop blabbing and accept you were ignorant.


You’re just grasping at conjectures.

Dufil didn’t start producing in nigeria in 1996 same way five alive wasn’t producing anything in nigeria in and MTN wasn’t producing recharge cards in nigeria until OBJ stopped all of them from importing.

I ask you a question. Name 10 items on that list that nigeria do not produce presently.

If you were too young when those decisions were made, don’t come here questioning people who weren’t. Instead ask questions.

In the next 10-20years, young ones would come to you with this kind of your lame argument that rice was never banned in nigeria. They will come with the same excuse the western economists is programming into your heads that protectionism don’t help any industry. All because they want to keep pushing their products into the country. When that time comes, it would be easier for you to defend ur argument than it is for me today because we have internet today as against 15years ago.

Yes we have imported spaghetti today same way we now have imported sugar but the difference is that they can’t really compete with our local sugar industry let alone kill it.

The whole point of protectionism is to protect up and coming industry and shield them away from unfavorable competition from foreign established industries. Once the industry is established, the import restriction is removed to drive down price through competition.

The problem with Dangote cement was that the corrupt govt instead of protecting small cement companies from going under when dangote was coming up, they allied dangote to buy them up thereby creating a monopoly rather than local compettition.

What are you talking about?
Sugar is not on the list. If it's there show me. I never said cement was never banned. Stop confusing yourself.
Dufil opened its first plant in ota in 1996. Here's the link: https://www.dufil.com/about-us
Five Alive is still not in Nigeria by the way. NBC bought the franchise when fruit juice importation was banned. It's not the original one.
Stop acting as if you're all grown up. I'm in my late thirties so was old enough when OBJ banned some items. I just didn't realise spaghetti/noodles was on the list.
You think I'm against protectionism? If the capacity is there why not? The story of five alive is a good example of protectionism working fine. Now we have chivita and hollandia.
However, the story of spaghetti/noodles does not fit into protectionism as I've shown you.
Rice farming as we have it now does not either. We don't produce enough to go round and not at the right quality either. A better policy could be indigenization of rice production by attracting foreign rice mills who have perfected the production process. But protectionism can't work in this case. That's what I'm letting you know

Agboriotejoye:

Come you think it's Benin people that are involved in the smuggling?
Bros majority of the smugglers are Nigerians

Even the present rice smuggling palaver are Nigerian importers and smugglers, just that the Beninese government know how to deal with it but decided not to do anything about it

Debaiz:


You’re not talking about sugar and cement again?



Stop blabbing and accept you were ignorant.


You’re just grasping at conjectures.

Dufil didn’t start producing in nigeria in 1996 same way five alive wasn’t producing anything in nigeria in and MTN wasn’t producing recharge cards in nigeria until OBJ stopped all of them from importing.

I ask you a question. Name 10 items on that list that nigeria do not produce presently.

If you were too young when those decisions were made, don’t come here questioning people who weren’t. Instead ask questions.

In the next 10-20years, young ones would come to you with this kind of your lame argument that rice was never banned in nigeria. They will come with the same excuse the western economists is programming into your heads that protectionism don’t help any industry. All because they want to keep pushing their products into the country. When that time comes, it would be easier for you to defend ur argument than it is for me today because we have internet today as against 15years ago.

Yes we have imported spaghetti today same way we now have imported sugar but the difference is that they can’t really compete with our local sugar industry let alone kill it.

The whole point of protectionism is to protect up and coming industry and shield them away from unfavorable competition from foreign established industries. Once the industry is established, the import restriction is removed to drive down price through competition.

The problem with Dangote cement was that the corrupt govt instead of protecting small cement companies from going under when dangote was coming up, they allied dangote to buy them up thereby creating a monopoly rather than local compettition.

Kudos, your brain has enough oil and all the nuts very intact.
You've only said what I've been trying to tell that guy

Area4Area:
Even the present rice smuggling palaver are Nigerian importers and smugglers, just that the Beninese government know how to deal with it but decided not to do anything about it

Why can't Nigeria deal with it?
How come we're banking on Benin dealing with it?
Benin banned dangote cement and dealt with it themselves. They didn't wait for Nigeria to help them deal with it.
You need to agree that customs have failed if we are looking to Benin to do their jobs for us

Agboriotejoye:

Why can't Nigeria deal with it?
How come we're banking on Benin dealing with it?
Benin banned dangote cement and dealt with it themselves. They didn't wait for Nigeria to help them deal with it.
You need to agree that customs have failed if we are looking to Benin to do their jobs for us

Benin dealt with dangote cement even when the Nigerian government looked away, Nigeria had decided to deal with Benin so their government should look away.
It takes two to tango.

The US with all her technology, wealth and all still has to collaborate with Mexico because she can't do it alone without the support of Mexico as per safe guarding her borders.

Agboriotejoye:

What are you talking about?
Sugar is not on the list. If it's there show me. I never said cement was never banned. Stop confusing yourself.
Dufil opened its first plant in ota in 1996. Here's the link: https://www.dufil.com/about-us
Five Alive is still not in Nigeria by the way. NBC bought the franchise when fruit juice importation was banned. It's not the original one.
Stop acting as if you're all grown up. I'm in my late thirties so was old enough when OBJ banned some items. I just didn't realise spaghetti/noodles was on the list.
You think I'm against protectionism? If the capacity is there why not? The story of five alive is a good example of protectionism working fine. Now we have chivita and hollandia.
However, the story of spaghetti/noodles does not fit into protectionism as I've shown you.
Rice farming as we have it now does not either. We don't produce enough to go round and not at the right quality either. A better policy could be indigenization of rice production by attracting foreign rice mills who have perfected the production process. But protectionism can't work in this case. That's what I'm letting you know

You’re in your late thirties, you didn’t realize spaghetti and noodle was banned and yet you still can’t see sugar on the list and you still want me to show you. You won’t want me to treat you like a teenager. Go back and read again. That is what adults do. They read with concentration and pay attention to details.

You accepted that you failed to realize spaghetti was on the list but you’re telling me spaghetti and noodles is a failure of protectionism. Where did you show me? Because you said we still have imported spaghetti?

Do you know we still have imported cement? Imported juice? Do you know local pasta production still have less than 85% market share? Who covers for the remaining 15% if not foreign product. Same way with sugar, cement, juice etc.

Before import ban in rice, local production was less than 10%. Presently it’s more than 50%. in the next 1-2years, it will rise to about 80%-90%. Lagos, Ogun and others(dangote etc) are building their mills. Each of them big enough to supply the whole country.

Without ban on rice and border closure, do you think Lagos and Ogun would invest its money into rice mill? Not to talk of the jobs to be provided.

Which one do you think Nigerians would buy? The established foreign cheap rice with better quality or the upcoming local expensive and low quality?

If Nigerians choose the foreign, why will happen to the local production?

The fact that you’re talking about quality means shows you’re speaking as a typical consumer who don’t care where the product comes from rather than a patriot who wants his country to grow.

That is how protectionism works.

Like I said, you’re ignorant on a whole lot of things.

Area4Area:
Benin dealt with dangote cement even when the Nigerian government looked away, Nigeria had decided to deal with Benin so their government should look away.
It takes two to tango.

The US with all her technology, wealth and all still has to collaborate with Mexico because she can't do it alone without the support of Mexico as per safe guarding her borders.

You excel in comparing apples with oranges. How does Benin govt protecting their economy tally with expecting Benin to do the job of Nigerian customs for them?
How exactly does the US collaborate with Mexico to safeguard their border? Pls enlighten me.

Area4Area:
Kudos, your brain has enough oil and all the nuts very intact.
You've only said what I've been trying to tell that guy

The guy is a typical Nigerian wailer. So ignorant I’m tempted to call it illiteracy. He claimed to be in his late thirties but didn’t know nigeria banned pasta and sugar. I showed him, he’s still telling me sugar is not on the list that I should show him.

Agboriotejoye:

You excel in comparing apples with oranges. How does Benin govt protecting their economy tally with expecting Benin to do the job of Nigerian customs for them?
How exactly does the US collaborate with Mexico to safeguard their border? Pls enlighten me.

Benin protecting her economy and Nigeria should go on destroying hers? Go through the ECOWAS protocols on movement of imported goods between member countries and come back

Debaiz:



You’re in your late thirties, you didn’t realize spaghetti and noodle was banned and yet you still can’t see sugar on the list and you still want me to show you. You won’t want me to treat you like a teenager. Go back and read again. That is what adults do. They read with concentration and pay attention to details.

You accepted that you failed to realize spaghetti was on the list but you’re telling me spaghetti and noodles is a failure of protectionism. Where did you show me? Because you said we still have imported spaghetti?

Do you know we still have imported cement? Imported juice? Do you know local pasta production still have less than 85% market share? Who covers for the remaining 15% if not foreign product. Same way with sugar, cement, juice etc.

Before import ban in rice, local production was less than 10%. Presently it’s more than 50%. in the next 1-2years, it will rise to about 80%-90%. Lagos, Ogun and others(dangote etc) are building their mills. Each of them big enough to supply the whole country.

Without ban on rice and border closure, do you think Lagos and Ogun would invest its money into rice mill? Not to talk of the jobs to be provided.

Which one do you think Nigerians would buy? The established foreign cheap rice with better quality or the upcoming local expensive and low quality?

If Nigerians choose the foreign, why will happen to the local production?

The fact that you’re talking about quality means shows you’re speaking as a typical consumer who don’t care where the product comes from rather than a patriot who wants his country to grow.

That is how protectionism works.

Like I said, you’re ignorant on a whole lot of things.

Here's ur list. Oya show me sugar there adult. And if you can't point out sugar then you're the one lacking in adult traits.
Where did I say noodles/spaghetti is a failure of protectionism? You have comprehension issues fa.
Have you ever heard of import substitution? Lagos and Ogun rice mills have been in the pipeline since 2017. Border closure did not trigger them. Go and read about import substitution and read what you just wrote. Then you'll see where you're wrong.
Where did you get production at 50%? Ok o. We'll see who is deceiving who.
Let me inform you again like I did the other guy. Foreign rice is more expensive than local rice. Go to any market and find out. Its the quality that's the difference. Nobody including a patriot wants to spend hours picking rice nor having to eat rice and stone. Until Nigerian rice can be destoned properly, most people will not be really enthusiastic about it. It's interesting to note that with ur 50% increase in production, price has risen. Care to tell me why that is from ur well of roundabout knowledge?