OLAM Nigeria has urged the Federal Government to be gradual in its move to ban importation of rice into the country in 2017. The firm said a gradual process will close the supply gap of 2.5 mil­lion tonnes in five years.

This was stated by the Gener­al Manager, Project Coordinator, OLAM Nigeria, Mahesh Nimje while conducting a media tour of the company’s rice farm and mill in Rukubi, Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State,   Nimje disclosed that the current rice demand in the country is about 6 million metric tons while the sup­ply is 3.5million mt leaving a de­mand-supply gap of 2.5 million mt.   He stressed the need for govern­ment to increase access to finance for farmers, encourage many inter­national investors to invest in rice production, provide them with enabling environment, infrastruc­tures, among other things to scale down the price.

“The Federal Government should support and provide more enabling environment for local in­vestors and farmers to close the huge supply gap of 2.5 million tons before finally banning rice impor­tation into the country”, he opined. …