By Fatima Muraina

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Rice sarcity will soon be a thing of the past as Ondo state Sunshine Rice farmers Association, has assured that the grain will flood markets in the state any moment from now.
The farmers who declared that they have started production of the grain moments after the COVID-19 pandemic relaxes, said they will soon begin the harvest of the produce within the next two or three weeks.
This however, may not reduce the high cost of the produce which had been attributed to the high cost of production.
The state Chairman of Sunshine Rice Farmers Association, Prince George Olabode who spoke with The Hope, explained that the grain will cost much higher compared to what it used to be.
“Rice will be surplus in the market very soon, but I am afraid it will cost much higher than the amount it was sold before. It is even okay If a bag is sold for N20,000 naira.
“The indices and cost of production will be properly considered before the price is fixed so that farmers do not run into loses”
“We will look at the cost of production, and how many tonnes we could get in one hectare of a processed rice before determining the price,” he said.
Olabode explained that the high cost of grain is being affected by production costs, resulting from labour, the recent increase in electricity tariff and that of the fuel price to mention but a few.
He advised people on the consumption of local rice which he said is more nutritious than the foreign rice, whose production processes are not known.
“Those who clamour for foreign rice should also consider its health hazards, such as cancer and many other diseases, because they do not know how many years it has been processed and packaged.
“They should look at the health benefit of the locally produced rice and shun foreign rice in its entirety”, he advised.