Nigeria has overtaken Egypt as the largest rice producer in Africa, Director-General, Africa Rice Center, Benin Republic, Dr Harold Roy-Macauley reveals to Thenation.
Roy-Macauley said that Nigeria now produces 4 million tonnes a year. Egypt was producing 4.3 tonnes annually but production has reduced by almost 40% this year due to the government’s decision to limit cultivation to preserve water resources.
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Egypt rice cultivation requires about 1.8 billion metres of water in evaporation, transpiration and irrigation each year. Africa produces an average of 14.6 million tonnes of rough rice annually.
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Roy-Macauley noted that there were efforts to increase overall rice production in Africa but expressed doubts that it will curb rice importation as population has increased across the continent.