Political instability hinders local rice production – Oba

The Oba who expressed concern over the current political and economic instability, said the situation has been affecting most farmers’ decisions on distribution of farm produce especially rice.
He said about 100 tonnes of paddy rice in his store, would be sold into Nigerian market due to uncertainty of sustainability of existing policy as a result of instability in the country’s politics.
He said: “We have delayed the distribution of our paddy rice due to the political instability we currently experience in the country because we are not sure of consistency in the policy.”
He explained that Nigeria needs to sustain the current policy on rice production which could make the country a net exporter of the commodity by 2017, saying the current agricultural policy is saving grace for farmers in the country with reduced rice importation.
Oba Oyebamiji noted that the price of rice is no more going up but rather keeps coming downward or stabilising simply because of the policy that has been promoting local production.
On the farming project in his community, the oba said the company is a plus to the whole nation as it stands to promote Nigeria’s economy in terms of local fish production as well as job creation for the people.