The price of rice, which went down to about N65,000 per bag about six months ago, is on the upswing again, sign-posting more hard times for Nigerians.
Reports from some markets in Lagos shows that some brands of rice now sell for as high as N100,000 while others are a little lower than N65,000 that Nigerians bought it before.
Dealers blame the development on the presumed end of the 150-day duty-free import window for essential food items as part of the Presidential Accelerated Stabilisation and Advancement Plan.
Meanwhile, millers are alleging that the presidential initiative, announced in July 2024, was conducted in secrecy as only a few firms allegedly benefited from the waivers to import duty-free grains, among which was rice.
“From what we know so far, (only) three big firms, including one in Lagos and another in Kaduna, are said to be beneficiaries of the waivers”, the Chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT), Competitive African Rice Forum, Nigerian Chapter, CARF-FSD Nigeria, CARF-FSD Nigeria, Peter Dama, reportedly said.
Dama, who doubles as the President of Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAN), also criticised short-term measures like waivers to crash prices as detrimental to local rice farmers, millers, processors and marketers, saying long-term measures to support them were what the nation needed to ensure food security.
Dealers in some markets in Lagos, who spoke about the increase in the price of the staple food, said they are frustrated about the development, describing it as a dire situation.
Mrs. Bolatito Yunisa, a rice dealer at Daleko Market, Lagos, lamented: “Honestly I don’t understand Nigeria system again. We are frustrated. We are not in business.
“A bag of short grain rice we saw going down to as low as 65k has gone as high as 85k, the long grain sells between 90k and as high as 100k and it’s still going up.
“We learnt that the temporary relief has ended. Really, is this how we will continue to live as a country?
“Where is the Nigeria rice? Millers are complaining of not seeing enough paddy. Many millers are no longer producing because of FX issues. Do we go hungry? I think there is confusion somewhere.”
On her part, Mrs. Bukola Osagie, another rice dealer at Mile 12 International Market in Lagos, said: “It’s not funny at all. I don’t even know how families are surviving. Price keeps flying up.
“Even as a dealer, we now sell in Derica measure because many people cannot afford to buy bag of rice anymore. We share for them so that we can also make sales.”
At the Mile 12 International Market in Lagos, a bag of 50kg short grain rice that was sold for between N60,000 and N65, 000 now sells for between N77,000 and N85,000 depending on the quality.
The price of locally produced rice that sold in the market for between N70,000 and N72,000 has also increased.
On those who got the waivers, Dama said: “What we know is that the rice value chain actors, who laboured to build the rice processing industry, were the ones who proposed solutions to the government about the rising costs of rice through memos and advice.
“The solutions included import quotas and waivers to deter hoarding and make up the shortfall in primary production without hurting rice millers, processors, farmers or the agriculture value chain.
“Again, some rice value chain actors amongst us, who had strong networks in India, even got to the Indian government to drop its 20 per cent export duty on rice, so that Nigerians can benefit from lower prices.
“However, as we speak, none of the companies within our members were granted waiver licenses or quotas for brown rice imports.
“For those who got the waivers, we are sure of one big rice mill because the Chairman stated it during his recent visit to the president and he announced it at the Presidential Villa.
“We have also heard unconfirmed reports of two other firms also being part of those who received the waivers.”