Chances of Nigeria achieving food sufficiency in rice may be earlier than expected following the quantum of investments embarked upon both by state governments and private investors in the last one year.
Some of the states that have announced the readiness of their branded rice to hit the market before the end of the year include Ogoja Rice form Cross Rivers, Anambra Rice, and Abakaliki Rice promoted by Ebonyi State.
Only weekend, the Ogun State Government announced that it has concluded plans to release locally-produced and branded rice, Mitros, by December 2017.
Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, disclosed this on Friday during a routine inspection of the first phase of rice harvested in one of its farms at Eggua, in Yewa North Local Government Area of the state.
According to her, the state has begun harvesting 30 hectares out of the 100 hectares of rice plantation and would be ready for distribution latest December 2017 after all due processes had been followed.
Adebajo revealed further that “In fulfilling one of our objectives, we are set to produce MITROS rice. This rice is the best quality you can ask for because we provided the farmers with most improved variety of seedlings and it will be ready before the end of the year”.
“This will be the first phase of harvest, we will harvest others too. We will go through all necessary steps to ensure quality product, then we will package and brand it MITROS rice. Both our local Ofada and Nerica 8 will be available for consumers,” the Commissioner noted.
