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Rice farmers have raised the alarm over the collapse of Nigeria’s rice industry, attributing the shutdown of local mills and mass job losses to cheap imports, insecurity, and lack of government support.

Peter Dama, Chairman of the Competitive African Rice Forum Nigeria, lamented the closure of processing facilities and its devastating impact on workers in a statement released on Sunday.

Defending farmers who received government support, he stressed their integrity.

“While there are so-called ‘political rice farmers’, our members who received assistance genuinely utilised it for rice production.”

Nigeria’s rice output once approached self-sufficiency at eight million metric tons.

“We reached about 8 million tons, nearly meeting Nigerian demand. However, the industry crashed because we needed just about N3 million more to sustain it.”

He clarified the production-consumption gap.

“Our production capacity was approximately 5.3 million metric tons, while consumption stood at 8.5 million metric tons. But now, production has declined further.”

Highlighting the unfair competition from imports, Dama said:

“Imported rice is cheaper because importers evade taxes and receive subsidies. They bring rice into Nigeria at prices as low as $10 to $20 per ton.”

With the 2027 general elections approaching, industry leaders warn of broader political and security risks if the decline persists.

“The loss of jobs, income, and opportunities for rural youth may trigger unrest in agricultural regions, increase rural-urban migration, strain cities, and foster disillusionment with public policy, threatening national unity,”

the statement warned.

Dama urged the Federal Government to take decisive steps to revive the rice industry, including ending all selective import waivers on rice, reaffirming rice as a protected strategic crop, and strengthening border enforcement.

“End selective import waivers on rice and related food commodities. All trade incentives should be transparent, time-bound, and equitable,” he demanded.

He also called for the establishment of a national rice buffer stock to stabilise prices during harvest seasons and increased government support for irrigation, affordable inputs, mechanisation, and low-interest agricultural financing.

“Support paddy production through irrigation to enable double cropping cycles, supply affordable inputs, mechanise farming, and provide accessible low-interest agricultural financing,” Dama stated.

Source : msn