Famine Looms As Sokoto Traders Flood Niger Republic’s Markets With Local Rice

In spite of the Federal Government’s repeated assurance of bringing down the prices of foodstuffs in the markets, some grain marketers, especially rice merchants in Sokoto State, have commenced massive exportation of local rice to Niger Republic.

Arewa PUNCH’s month-long investigations across the state reveal that most rice dealers now prefer to export the Nigerian local rice to the neighbouring country due to the exchange rate.

A commercial driver who is among the group hired to ferry bags of the grain outside the country told Arewa PUNCH on condition of anonymity that the reason behind the business idea is to get more money.

He explained, “I am sure you know that our currency in this country has spoiled beyond reasonable doubt.

“A plate of local rice in Sokoto goes for between 3,000 and 3,200 naira while same products go for the equivalent of 5,500 or more in Niger Republic.

“I am sure you know, as a trader, your primary objective is to make more money for yourself. You should be concerned about your profit.

“How will you expect me to sell products in this country when a better market is waiting for me just around the corner,” he stated.

Continuing, he stressed, “Ever since our currency got to this level, we just have to find a way to make more money when there is such opportunity.

“The ECOWAS ban on Niger Republic has restricted movement of goods from foreign countries especially foreign parboiled rice which is why we too are taking the advantage in this gap to make sharp export business.”

Asked if the Nigeria-Niger Republic border closure does not affect their operation, he remarked that the continued closer of the border does not affect their movement saying, “we normally move through the illegal routes along the bush.

“We only need to bribe these security agents along the bush path both in Nigeria and these in the Niger Republic territory to deliver the rice over there.

“Even if the border is not closed by ECOWAS or the federal government, we wouldn’t have use the border route as our goods may not be allowed to pass through, so the bush path remains the better route for our movement.”

Arewa PUNCH recalls that the directive of the Economic Community of West Africa States to it’s member countries to close all their borders against Niger Republic, has brought about untold hardship to the country, especially as the food supply chain got thin with foreign rice being the most affected from getting into that country.

Culled from the Punch newspaper.