The Federal Government, yesterday, commenced the dismantling of rice pyramid, in Abuja.
When Daily Sun visited the Abuja Chamber of Commerce yesterday, loaders numbering over 20 were seen loading the 50 kg bags of rice into waiting trucks, to different milling factories across the country.
National President of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Aminu Goronyo, who confirmed the development stated that, “every miller who has mill is entitled to buy.”
The government, through Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and RIFAN, had launched the rice pyramid in Abuja, as a show of food sufficiency. While commissioning it on January 18, 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari stated that the bags of paddy rice would move straight from Abuja to rice milling plants across Nigeria, which would lead to the release of processed rice to the markets by the rice millers.
“I am aware that the bags of paddy will be moving straight from here to rice milling plants across Nigeria, which will lead to the release of processed rice to the markets by the rice millers. The measure will aid our efforts at reducing the price of rice in Nigeria,” he stated.
He explained that the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) has so far supported over 4.8 million smallholder farmers across Nigeria for the production of 23 agricultural commodities including maize, rice, oil palm, cocoa, cotton, cassava, tomato and livestock.”