All you need to know about the list of rice producing states in Nigeria. Rice Oryza glaberrima (African rice) or Oryza sativa (Asian rice) as an agricultural crop or commodity is an important crop in Nigeria and around the world, which is one of the main reason for this article on the list of rice-producing states in Nigeria.

It is a cereal grain and a staple food. As a staple food, rice is the most widely consumed staple food in Nigeria, Africa, and indeed for a large part of the world’s human population around the world including Asia.  

Amongst agricultural commodities, rice has the third-highest production in the world measured in metric tons at 741.5 million metric tonnes as at 2014 record behind only to maize at 1.0 billion metric tonnes as second-highest and sugarcane at 1.9 billion metric tonnes, the agricultural commodity with the highest production as at 2014 according to available information.

List Of Rice Producing States In Nigeria

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization Statistics (FAOSTAT) the breakdown rice production in the world by country puts China at the top position with 206.5 million metric tonnes followed by India with 157.2 million metric tonnes at the second position, Indonesia with 70.8 million metric tonnes occupies the third position, Bangladesh with 52.3 million metric tonnes is fourth, at the fifth position is Vietnam with 45.0 million metric tonnes, Thailand is sixth with 32.6 million metric tonnes while Myanmar occupies the seventh position with 26.4 million metric tonnes.

List Of Rice Producing States In Nigeria 

  1. Kebbi
  2. Benue
  3. Ebonyi
  4. Ekiti
  5. The Federal Capital Territory
  6. Jigawa
  7. Kaduna
  8. Kano
  9. Katsina
  1. Bauchi

Others are

  1. Nasarawa
  2. Taraba
  3. Kogi
  4. Zamfara
  5. Ogun
  6. Niger
  7. Kwara and
  8. Sokoto

For the highest producing rice state in Nigeria, check here

  • Rice Production in Nigeria

Nigeria’s rice situation is indeed a peculiar one. Nigeria is Africa’s leading consumer of rice as rice in the country is consumed across all ethnic, tribal and religious groups in the country. Nigeria as a country is one of the largest of producers of rice in the African continent. Nigeria is also among the top largest importers of rice in the world. Rice production in Nigeria is mainly done by local small-scale farmers and producers. Predominantly among the northern states, rice is a major cash crop.

In Nigeria, rice production sits at 15 million metric tonnes according to official records in 2017 by government sources. The source also said that production in Kano state has jumped to 1.2 million metric tonnes. It is no news that Nigeria is largely an import-dependent economy. In layman’s language what this means is that Nigeria produces almost nothing and consumes almost everything. Rice production is no exception. Hence, Nigeria is among one of the largest rice importing nations in the world. However, the appetite for rice consumption in the country keeps going up. Duty for imported rice in Nigeria is 60%. As per the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) Nigeria imports about half of its estimated rice needs. There is a push by the government for self-sufficiency in rice production in the country.

Rice Producing States In Nigeria

Indeed a lot of states in Nigeria now produce rice. There is hardly a state in Nigeria where you don’t find a rice farmer cultivating and producing rice in the state. That is to say that rice is produced in all the six geo-political zones of the country namely; North West, Northeast, North Central, South West, South East and South South Geo-political zones. It is important to understand that rice is produced in clusters in Nigeria. There are more than 170 rice clusters in Nigeria and 2,820 sub-clusters all producing more than 15 million metric tonnes of rice in the country. However, there are states in the country where rice is more dominantly produced. Therefore, states in Nigeria with an appreciable level of rice production are; 

  • Kebbi
  • Benue
  • Ebonyi
  • Ekiti
  • The Federal Capital Territory
  • Jigawa
  • Kaduna
  • Kano
  • Katsina
  • Bauchi

Others are

  • Nasarawa
  • Taraba
  • Kogi
  • Zamfara
  • Ogun
  • Niger
  • Kwara and
  • Sokoto

Rice production in Nigeria is mainly done during the rainy (wet) season. Because of nature of the cultivation of rice – it is cultivated in wetlands or Paddy. Rice production in the country can also be done during the dry season, though not in all the states. Out of the 18 states in the country where rice is predominantly produced only about 10 states produce rice in both seasons (rainy season and dry season).

According to work done by the United Kingdom’s Department for International Development( DFI D) on Growth and Employment in States, a report of  which was made available in 2016, a mapping exercise which was conducted through the visit of researchers and enumerators to rice production clusters and rice production locations in selected states in the country where rice is produced, Kebbi State emerged as the top producer of rice with a production of  2.05 million metric tonnes in the wet season and 1.51 million metric tonnes in the dry season. The success story of rice cultivation in Kebbi State can be attributed to the massive investment in rice production by the state government which totals up to 10 billion naira intended to achieve 100,000 metric tonnes of rice production annually in the state.

Kebbi State is followed by Kano State with a production of 1.86 million metric tonnes in the rainy (wet) season and 0.96 million metric tonnes during the dry season, respectively within the same period of the study as the governor of the state said his administration intends to develop rice pyramids in the state for proper storage.

The federal government of Nigeria is targeting a production of seven million metric tonnes of rice in 2018. This among under policy statements has created activity in the rice sector in the country.

In Ebonyi, which has more than 72,000 hectares of arable land for rice production has set a target of six tonnes per hectare. The state produces 1.2 million metric tonnes of rice.

In Ogun State, the government of the state is encouraging farmers in the state to go into the large-scale production of local rice variety, known as the OFADA rice.

The story of states in Nigeria involved in rice production cannot be told without mentioning LAKE Rice which is a rice brand name that came about as a result of a partnership between the Lagos State government and Kebbi State government.

In Benue State, the acclaimed food basket of the nation, 1.5 million metric tonnes of rice is produced with a commitment by the state government to do more.

There is progress in rice production in the country resulting from the involvement of states in rice production through various intervention programmes and efforts of global donor agencies, the federal government, and the CBN.

However, the challenges still abound as more needs to be done to achieve the nation’s quest for self-sufficiency in rice production. As the intervention efforts of government should be strengthened to improve access to the local small-scale farmers and private investors with the capacity to invest in the nations rice production efforts should be encouraged albeit with tax waivers and exemption during the first few years of their operation.

That’s all on List Of Rice Producing States In Nigeria.

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