The Special Adviser to the Governor of Lagos State on Agriculture, Dr. Oluwarotimi Fashola, has pointed to the erratic rainfall pattern, and hike in the price of diesel as key factors influencing the cost of local rice production.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria, this was revealed during an interview with pressmen on Thursday, where Fashola cited various challenges, including intermittent drought, soaring fertilizer prices, flooding, security concerns, reduced land cultivation, suboptimal irrigation systems, and escalating diesel costs, as contributors to the increasing costs associated with rice production.
Highlighting the impact on production costs, he stated, “The cost of diesel has risen from N750 to between N1,300 and N1,500 in the north, and paddy production has considerably reduced.”
In discussing the local rice varieties, Fashola mentioned that many Lagos State farmers are cultivating Ofada rice. However, he expressed optimism about encouraging them to shift towards the type of rice produced in the state’s rice mill.
