Processing agric products (adding value by transforming them from basic commodities) increases their worth, appeal and market value. In the case of rice, processing is an important and distinct feature in its production. It involves changing harvested paddy into edible rice. Nigeria’s rice processing techniques are inefficient. This has resulted in processed rice that’s too expensive and of lower quality than rice from other countries like China, Vietnam and India.

Rice, one of the major staple foods in Nigeria, is consumed across all Nigerian socioeconomic classes. Still, only about 57% of the 6.7m metric tonnes of rice consumed in Nigeria annually are locally produced. This leads to a supply deficit of about 3m metric tonnes, which is imported.

Over 80% of locally produced rice comes from small scale processors with processing capacity of less than 100 tonnes. And these small scale processors are faced with financial challenges that inform their choice of equipment. Large scale processors, on the other hand, constitute less than 20% of processors. They face the challenge of inconsistency in grain quality and insufficient paddy. Both small scale or cottage rice processors and large scale processors depend on paddy from farm lands or purchase from neighbouring villages or towns.

Processing procedure entails parboiling raw rice to soften the husk, drying and milling it before selling to distributors or retailers. After milling, small stones must be removed using a de-stoner. De-stoning rice makes locally processed rice more appealing. But the majority of the small scale processors cannot afford this equipment unless they form themselves into co-operatives to purchase one.

We conducted research to establish why Nigeria’s processed rice was of low quality. We wanted to establish what drove the decisions of Nigerian rice processors, specifically their choice of techniques for processing rice.

We found out that, in many instances, Nigerian rice processors, especially the small scale or cottage processors, do not have adequate processing capacity. We discovered that choice of techniques and equipment used during processing was a major determinant of output and quality. The choices rice processors made were driven by a host of factors. These included budgetary constraints, social and economic factors as well as processing constraints.

In a bid to identify factors affecting rice processors’ decisions, we administered structured questionnaires to 410 rice processors selected from 4 states (Ebonyi, Ekiti, Ogun and Nasarawa) from 3 geopolitical zones in Nigeria – South-East, South-West and North-Central. We asked them about processing. We wanted to know about their experiences, where they sourced raw rice, their processing activities and techniques, if they had available credit to enhance processing activities and the distances from farm to processing centre and from processing centre to market.

Responses to the questions showed that choices were dependent on each processor’s finances and a number of social and processing characteristics. These included age (youth or elderly), sex, education, marital status and household size of processors. Economic factors also played a role, including access to loans to buy modern equipment, and size of the processing operation. Even if they could afford new equipment, most didn’t have the capacity to service it.

Consequently, there were instances where processors formed themselves into co-operatives in a bid to access loans and other financial aid from the government with the aim of purchasing processing equipment. But the time lag for loan applications delayed productive activities. The outcome was many processors became discouraged, and abandoned trying to use new processing techniques and equipment. There were also instances where processors couldn’t get spare parts and de-stoning machines required to sift raw rice.

Organised markets in the country present obstacles too. They opted for parboiled imported rice from countries like Vietnam, Indonesia, China and India instead of locally processed rice. This is because to process a 50 kilogramme bag of rice locally is more expensive and not economical. Rice processors also encountered challenges getting consistent quality and quantity of rice from local farmers all year round. They had to deal with fragmentation of the processing enterprise that makes it difficult to create quality brands and standards due to exorbitant cost of processing equipment.

In 2019 the Nigerian government restricted importation of rice into the country. But the directive failed to address the fact that locally processed rice is too expensive. In the case of low priced rice, the quality is poor. There is therefore a need for the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to focus on how to get modern rice processing techniques to more processors. This would enable processors take advantage of the openings and opportunities made available by the Federal Government.

This should include providing machines and equipment to rice processors in a bid to ensure Nigeria can produce high quality rice. In addition, rice processors’ associations should be supported with input supply and credit. Female processors should be empowered with input supply, access to credit and proper monitoring. The research has shown that they are more likely to use traditional techniques than their male counterparts.

Finally, stakeholders such as the federal and state agriculture ministries, local governments and the private sector, should invest in modern rice processing equipment. This equipment should be situated close to rice processors with good access roads. This will ensure that processors aren’t burdened by the extra cost of transport and rice processing fees which most rice processors are not willing to pay.

By Omobolaji Obisesan, a Visiting Post Doctoral Research Fellow, Interconnections for Making Africa Great, Empowered and Sustainable Initiatives, University of Ibadan

Culled from www.theconversation.com

SOURCE (abridged): https://punchng.com/why-quality-of-nigerian-homegrown-rice-is-poor/

This is where Agricultural Engineering graduates should flex their muscles and shine. We have what it takes to make locally-made rice being a bus-stop for consumers but we only wait for the integrity of a breadline in Nigeria.

Personally, this issue of low quality local rice has caught my attention as a graduating student and I'm looking at the change I could make.

Nigeria needs to do more in the area of quality and cost of production in order to make people believe in local product. I feel very bad each time I buy Nigerian rice at an expensive rate and end up chewing stone particles in it.

@ Prof2007 don't make me laugh! Hahaha

In fact you have already made me laugh abundantly.

For your own sanity please never analyze Nigeria problem except u are doing it for your educational advancement or for certain level of economic gain.

Just imagine so called giant of Africa still feed her citizen poorly processed stone filled rice in the 21st century! Some of their multidimensional blind supporters will soon come here and argue that Rome was not built in a day.

If you don't realize it, u better acknowledge the fact that most of these leaders have the heart of former USSR dictator (Late General Stalin) who demonstrated his leadership style through the extremely painful live defeathering of a live Chicken!

Bellotelli:
Nigeria needs to do more in the area of quality and cost of production in order to make people believe in local product. I feel very bad each time I buy Nigerian rice at an expensive rate and end up chewing stone particles in it.

How can anything b done about cost of production wen d country cant provide stable power?