Lagos Set To Cut Rice Importation

With a massive national rice importation bill put at about N1 billion, a large chunk of which is consumed in Lagos State, the state government has reiterated its commitment to reduce the dependence on such huge importation.

According to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Co-operatives, Dr. Olajide Bashorun the government planned to put in place a 20-tonne per day rice mill which would produce polished rice comparable to imported ones.

Disclosing that the state had under cultivation in its ”Rice for job” programme over 200 hectares producing between 25 and 40 tones annually and employing 200 youth, Bashorun said over 1,450 hectares were presently under cultivation across the state.

He said the government had demonstrated irrevocable commitment to the rehabilitation of the coconut belt spanning 180 kilometres across the state’s coast lines.

Bashorun added that over 60,000 seedlings were being produced at the seven nurseries established by the government.

He also explained that the government would establish a ram ranch with a capacity to produce 600 rams per cycle, which would serve as a source of disease-free foundation stock for sheep and goat production.

The permanent secretary reiterated that the state Agricultural Trust Fund, under which practicing farmers were given loans of N1million each, had taken off with 32 farmers benefiting.

Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Strategy, Mrs. Oluranti Odutola said the ministerial briefings were in line with the commitment of the state government in its effort to inform the citizenry on the programmes and policies of the state government.

She urged Lagosians to continue to provide the support and encouragement for the administration for it to fully realize the goals of a better rewarding future.

—Kazeem Ugbodaga