Why Nigerian rice prices are falling – Millers

The Association of Rice Millers claims that the reopening of the Nigeria-Niger border has led to a decrease in the prices of rice across the country. According to Jonathan Joshua, chairman at African Rice Millers in Nasarawa and national president of the Association of Small-Scale Agro Producers in Nigeria, the price of rice is expected to continue to decrease over the next two months as the harvest season begins. This is due to the increased availability of locally produced rice, which has previously faced competition from imported rice.

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According to one rice miller, the reopening of the Nigeria-Niger border has allowed them to quickly source paddy from neighbouring countries. As a result, some mills that were forced to shut down due to the scarcity of paddy last year and early this year are now reopening. The expectation is that paddy prices will decrease even further when farmers begin harvesting in two months’ time.