Rice importation: USDA says Nigeria’s demands will rise by 400,000 tons

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has projected that Nigeria will be the world second largest rice buyer in 2019 with an increase of 400, 000 tons.

China, according to the report is said to be the world’s largest buyer.

In a latest rice outlook released by the USDA, it said: “On an annual basis, consumption and residual use of the staple food is projected higher in 2018/19 in Angola, Benin Republic, Burkina-Faso, Cambodia, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Haiti, India, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

“China and Nigeria are projected to remain the largest rice importing countries in 2019, followed by the EU, Cote d’Ivoire, and Iran.

“Nigeria and Egypt are projected to account for the bulk of the 2019 import increase. Imports in 2019 are also projected to be larger than a year earlier for Benin, Burkina, Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, EU, Iran, Iraq, Kenya, Malaysia, Mali, Senegal, the United Arab Emirates and the United States.

“Global rice consumption including a residual component in 2018/19 is projected at a record 488.4 million tons, down 0.1 million tons from the previous forecast but up more than 1 percent from a year earlier”, the report stated.

Media report also had it that Rice farmers in Nigeria have experienced a drop in output since last year due to a combination of higher input costs, insecurity and widespread flooding in the main growing regions.

At the same time, people are giving up traditional coarse grains in favor of rice in the country of almost 200 million people.

“Chairman Rice Farmers Association (RFA) Kebbi State, Mohammed Sahabi said: “The rain has not been favourable to rice farmers this year, this has affected major rice-growing states. We lost more than 20,000 hectares of unharnessed rice this year in Kebbi alone”.