By Okechukwu Onuegbu
Following the high cost of Anambra rice during the festive season, the State Fadama III Additional Financing (AF) Project Coordinator, Egbue Chukwuka Patrick, has attributed the high cost of the product to the astronomical rise in agricultural inputs, demand pressures and quality of the product.
Egbue, who had assured Orient Daily prior to Christmas and New Year seasons that the state owned rice, would be cheapest in the market, maintained that they experienced bumper harvest, but the embargo placed on foreign rice led to a spike in demand as well as price of Anambra rice as people from all over the country thronged Anambra state in search of the product.
Orient Daily had in a market survey during the festive season discovered that Anambra rice whose selling price was previously N17, 500 per 50 kg bag rose to N20, 000 or more; from N8, 500 to N10, 500 and more per 25kg bag by distributors.
“There was increase in demand as people discovered that our rice is too nutritious. Also, the pressure of Christmas which increased the cost of all food stuffs also affected the farmers, processors, marketers, among other persons in the value chain. You should remember that the cost of gas, transportation and fertilizer use for this period also tripled.
“We also discovered the influx of people and governments from other parts of the country to Ayamelum. They were not coming to buy Anambra rice alone. They were busy buying and re-branding the rice with their state labeled bags. This affected us also.
“Again, some processors stopped processing either because of the high cost of production or in order to join their kits and kin’s for the celebrations. But I am assuring you that these things would soon be stabilise because lots of them are back and ever ready to resume work since the festive season is over. Anambra rice is Governor Obiano’s gift to ndi Anambra, and he is committed to making it affordable to both the rich and poor,” he said.
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