Nigerian farmers blame cartels, middlemen for soaring rice prices
A 50 kg bag of local rice currently sells between US$43 and US$53, up from US$30 to US$36 just two months ago.
NIGERIA – Members of Nigeria’s rice farmers’ associations have raised concerns over the sharp and persistent rise in rice prices, blaming the trend on manipulation by unscrupulous farmers, cartels, and middlemen.
In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), rice farmer leaders argued that despite federal government interventions, the price of rice continues to spiral due to deliberate hoarding and repackaging tactics.
Mr. Sakin Agbayewa, Vice-Chairman of the All Farmers Association of Nigeria (AFAN), said the price instability was not entirely a result of low production but of human manipulation.
“As regards the high price of rice, I think we are taking one step forward and five steps backward. Some few months ago, the federal government came out with a waiver, giving some companies a small waiver to import rice into the country in order to crush the price. And while that was on, did they mobilise the local farmers? That is where the issue lies,” Agbayewa said.
Agbayewa noted that although some farmers were supported with free fertilizers and a 75% subsidy on production costs, many failed to cultivate. He alleged that importers and traders created artificial scarcity by warehousing rice during the waiver period.
“Now that the importation waiver is over, the cartel is creating artificial scarcity. Some farmers even repackage local rice into foreign bags to exploit Nigerians’ preference for imported brands,” he explained.
Mr. Raphael Hunsa, Chairman of the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Lagos State chapter, urged the government to engage directly with genuine farmers.
“The price of rice will continue to go up if the government fails to support local rice farmers,” Hunsa said, noting that they should invite farmers to a roundtable for formulation of the right policies.
He further advised farmers not to sell off subsidized inputs but to use them to sustain production.
Market dealers also confirmed the impact of the expired import waiver. At Oja Oba Market in Agege, rice trader Mr. Mustafa Aliu said.
According to him, the price of rice is currently between N70,000 (US$46) and N80,000 (US$53) for a 50 kg bag.
At Iddo Market, another trader, Mr. Temitayo Hakeem, highlighted the demand for foreign rice, revealing that there are bags of rice that still sell as high as N145,000 (US$96) or N150,000 (US$99), depending on the choice of the consumer.
NAN reports that a 50 kg bag of local rice currently sells between N65,000 (US$43) and N80,000 (US$53), up from N45,000 (US$30) to N55,000 (US$36) just two months ago, a price jump of nearly 45%.
Farmers and traders agree that unless the government strengthens oversight of distribution, curbs middlemen activities, and sustains meaningful support to genuine farmers, rice prices in Nigeria may continue their upward trend, straining household budgets across the country.
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