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All Farmers Association of Nigeria has advised Nigerians that, in situations where stones are found in the locally processed rice, they should remove them before consumption.
It called on Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding for the process involved in local rice production to be perfected.
President of AFAN, Mr. Ibrahim Kabiru, made this call on Friday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
The AFAN leader was reacting to complaints by consumers that local rice has not been stone-free since the closure of borders.
Kabiru said he was not aware of such complaints, explaining that locally grown rice normally goes through certain processes before it gets to the final consumer.
“If stones are found in our locally produced rice, of which I am not aware, it means that the stones must be removed to make it for consumption,’’ he said.
The president of AFAN also said rice production undergoes a number of processes after the harvesting stage.
He said these processes ranged from drying, storing, milling and final processing, to de-stoning.
“It could be during these processes and considering the fact that rice must be produced optimally to meet local consumption,” Kabiru said.
He added that rice farmers also needs encouragement from the Nigerian public for them to put in their best to feed the nation.
He further said that a situation where stones are sometimes found in locally produced rice after border closure was not intentional.
“Its a work in progress because rice is a staple food for Nigerians and demand must meet supply and the demand is much,’’ he said.
Kabiru urged Nigerians to exercise patience, disclosing that the challenge is not just to produce optimally for local consumption, but also to produce for exportation.
Speaking in the same vein, Vice-President of Olam Group, Mr. Reji George, said the problem also lay on people who re-bag local rice.
George said his firm had two of the biggest mills capable of producing high quality rice, maintaining that the standard had not changed.
(NAN)
It called on Nigerians to exercise patience and understanding for the process involved in local rice production to be perfected.
President of AFAN, Mr. Ibrahim Kabiru, made this call on Friday in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.
The AFAN leader was reacting to complaints by consumers that local rice has not been stone-free since the closure of borders.
Kabiru said he was not aware of such complaints, explaining that locally grown rice normally goes through certain processes before it gets to the final consumer.
“If stones are found in our locally produced rice, of which I am not aware, it means that the stones must be removed to make it for consumption,’’ he said.
The president of AFAN also said rice production undergoes a number of processes after the harvesting stage.
He said these processes ranged from drying, storing, milling and final processing, to de-stoning.
“It could be during these processes and considering the fact that rice must be produced optimally to meet local consumption,” Kabiru said.
He added that rice farmers also needs encouragement from the Nigerian public for them to put in their best to feed the nation.
He further said that a situation where stones are sometimes found in locally produced rice after border closure was not intentional.
“Its a work in progress because rice is a staple food for Nigerians and demand must meet supply and the demand is much,’’ he said.
Kabiru urged Nigerians to exercise patience, disclosing that the challenge is not just to produce optimally for local consumption, but also to produce for exportation.
Speaking in the same vein, Vice-President of Olam Group, Mr. Reji George, said the problem also lay on people who re-bag local rice.
George said his firm had two of the biggest mills capable of producing high quality rice, maintaining that the standard had not changed.
(NAN)
