Rice import: Experts task farmers on continued cultivation

Some agriculture experts have urged local rice farmers to continue the cultivation of the crop in spite of the increase of rice imports into the country.

The experts made the call in separate interviews with our correspondent on Tuesday in Lagos.

Our correspondent reports that a recent survey in early January showed that over 3,500 rice farmers are set to pull out of the cultivation of the crop due to losses estimated at N93 billion across the sector during the 2025 wet season.

The results were contained in the 2025 Major Wet Season Impact Report released by the Presidential Food Systems Coordinating Unit.

An agric. communication expert, Dr Ismail Olawale, urged the government to tackle indices that put the local farmer at a disadvantage.

“There are many indices that may influence rice farmers dumping the cultivation of the produce for other crops aside importation of rice.

“If we are going to get exactly what is actually frustrating these farmers to abandon the plantation of rice in this next season, then it shouldn’t be anchored only on the importation granted by the Federal Government.

“No matter how you have imported produce, if we have local ones that are viably and appropriately competing with the imported ones, it will be better for the consumers and the country.

“It gives Nigerians the authority of preference of choice,” Olawale said.

The expert also noted that there were a lot of behind the scenes activities in the sector affecting the sector .

He listed the challenges as hoarding and proliferation of Nigerian border across other African countries.

“We are encouraging rice farmers to keep on farming despite the indices or whatever disadvantages, we need our own local produce.

“Farmers are at the bottom and the receiving end of this but then they have to be encouraged.

“If we are going to encourage them, we must tighten up some of these indices that are now going to be investigated through survey or any other analysis,” he said.

On his part, an agriculture analyst and farmer, Mr Omotunde Banjoko, urged the government to consider better options in addressing food inflation aside from food importation.

“If local rice farmers are quitting, then the implication is if the matter is not addressed, we might end up having a shortage at some point because importation is not sustainable.

“So, what we need to do is what we’ve been advocating for. The government should look at a better approach at reducing food prices, which is addressing the cost of farm inputs primarily rather than importation as a source of bringing down prices.

“So, it’s not only the rice farmers, all farmers who are into production are complaining because now we are selling at a loss below our cost of production.

“We need to address the farmers’ cost of production in whatever direction we are taking,” Banjoko said.