The value of rice imports into Nigeria has risen by N14.93 billion as at the second quarter of this year.
The Foreign Trade Statistics for the first quarter of 2015 released yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) revealed that the value of semi-milled or wholly milled rice imported into the country in the second quarter of this year stood at N25.38 billion.
The value is more than half the N12.93 billion spent on the importation of rice in the same period last year. Analysis showed that the value of rice imports declined by N8.06 billion from the value recorded at the first quarter of this year.
The NBS had reported that semi-milled or wholly milled rice, measured in 5 kilogramme or bulk (investors with rice milling capability) imported into Nigeria at the first quarter of the year was valued at N33.44 billion.