Subsidised Rice
The Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security announced that the sale of subsidised rice to the public will begin on Monday, following an earlier distribution to civil and public servants.
This initiative aims to alleviate the rising cost of rice, which has soared to as high as N90,000 per 50kg bag in some states.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the government had pledged to sell the rice at a subsidised rate of N40,000 per 50kg bag to combat food inflation, which hit 40.87 per cent in June 2024.
However, citizens across various regions have expressed frustration over the absence of the promised subsidised rice, as prices remain significantly high in most areas.
Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Abubakar Kyari, had previously acknowledged the multiple factors driving food prices, including the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, climate change, and local economic challenges.
Subsidised Rice
The government’s plan to release 30,000 metric tonnes of subsidised rice aims to offer some relief to Nigerians, but reports from states such as Kaduna, Bayelsa, Lagos, and Kogi indicate that prices remain much higher than the subsidised N40,000, with some areas seeing prices between N80,000 and N110,000.
Despite the initiative, experts like Associate Professor Unekwu Onuche from the University of Africa, Bayelsa State, argue that these palliative measures are only short-term solutions.
Onuche called for increased agricultural production and protection for farmers to ensure food security, stating that concrete measures are necessary to address the long-term availability and affordability of food.
As the sale of subsidised rice to the public commences, many Nigerians are anxious to see if the N40,000 price point will be realised, providing relief amid the nation’s growing food inflation crisis.
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