By As Yuletide draws closer, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) has made a case for consumption of locally processed rice, asking Nigerians, especially Lagosians, to stop craving for foreign rice.
In an interview with NAN on Friday, the group’s National Deputy President, Segun Atho stated that there is enough local rice for Nigerians for the festive season.
He said, “We can affirm that we have locally processed rice available all over Nigeria for the Yuletide. We have more than enough to meet any demand; we have enough to go round.”
“As it is, we are still looking for more distributors for our locally processed rice, because Nigerians still have a hang for foreign rice.”
While blaming local marketers of foreign rice for the failures of the sector, Atho noted that good returns await investments in Nigerian rice.
He also argued that the activities of smugglers of foreign rice are sabotaging the efforts to change the trend in terms of consumption of locally processed rice.
The farmer added, “Let the marketers go to the North and off take this rice to the south. Our local rice has flooded markets in Niger, Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Kebbi, but the opposite is the case in the south.
“In Lagos, that should be the centre of excellence in the promotion of Nigerian goods, we still crave for imported rice.
“The security agencies at the land borders have their hands full chasing smugglers of foreign rice. We cannot develop like this.
“The President is making great efforts in this sector; we just have people who want to sabotage his efforts.”
