NO fewer than 61 integrated rice millers have begun to evacuate the paddy rice pyramids in Abuja, which was showcased a few days back as an indication of the growing capacity of local rice producers.

They are being evacuated for processing and further refinement to make the produce fit for human consumption. The exercise commenced barely two weeks after President Muhammadu Buhari commissioned 13 mega pyramids of paddy rice with a call on Nigerians to exercise patience as the growing food production effort in the country, especially the expansion in rice farming, will eventually bring down prices of food, making it more affordable for all.

Recall that in a bid to ensure Nigeria’s food security and abundance, the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, RIFAN, under the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, stacked the largest single paddy rice pyramid in Nigeria’s history. The stacked unprocessed rice, which was gathered from the 36 states of the federation, is said to be a paltry 10 per cent of the produce of all the farmers who participated in the Anchor Borrowers Programme.

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In the meantime, evacuation of the produce by millers from the Abuja Centre for Commerce and Industry, Lugbe District of the nation’s capital is in progress. An average bag of rice paddy weighs about 75kg, but after the milling process, it is expected to shrink to 50kg and sold to Nigerians at an affordable rate.

Chairman, RIFAN Committee for the Evacuation of Rice Paddy, Alhaji Sale Abu Katsina, said the process of allocation of the unprocessed rice was transparent and thorough. He told Arewa Voice: “Each miller was given a certain quantity of rice paddy after he or she had paid the required cost, and settled any other outstanding payment. If you pay 100 per cent; then, you will get an allocation. Afterwards, you can load the quantity allocated to you for processing.”

Explaining the steps to getting an allocation of the rice paddy, the Coordinator, Rice Millers Association of Nigeria, Alhaji Zaiyanu Umar Alero, said: “As a miller, you will apply that you need paddy from RIFAN, through the CBN. So, RIFAN and the apex bank will have to confirm your ownership of an active rice mill. Based on their assessment and confirmation, they will allocate a certain number of bags of rice paddy to you according to your milling capacity.”

While the collaborative effort of RIFAN and the CBN has made Nigeria close to being self-sufficient in rice production as well as propelled the country to outshine Egypt to become Africa’s largest rice-producing nation, some FCT residents, who spoke to Arewa Voice, expressed the hope that the new strategy would lead to availability of affordable rice for the average household in the country and reduce rice importation.

Mr. Ndukuba Peter said that the the mega rice pyramid called for celebration as it will eventually reduce the market price of the staple food, and make it affordable and accessible to the masses when the value of the programme fully becomes reality.

“The Abuja rice pyramid is a thing of joy and hope, if there will be sustainability and continuity and not just a one-off display to score a political point or gain media applause as usual as in previous programmes such as the Operation Feed the Nation, the Green Revolution, etc.,” he said

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