Abuja, Nigeria — August 17, 2025 | Rice farmers across Nigeria have raised concerns over the soaring price of the staple food, blaming cartels and middlemen for manipulating the market to the detriment of both producers and consumers.
The Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN) disclosed that despite steady production levels, market prices continue to rise due to what they described as “artificial scarcity” created by powerful syndicates who hoard the commodity and inflate costs.
Speaking on the issue, RIFAN officials explained that farmers are often forced to sell paddy rice at low prices to middlemen who later resell at exaggerated rates, leaving farmers with little profit while consumers struggle with skyrocketing retail costs.
They further stressed that insecurity in farming communities, high production costs, and limited access to credit have worsened the plight of smallholder farmers, but maintained that the activities of cartels remain the biggest driver of the current price hikes.
The farmers urged the Federal Government to step in with stronger regulations to dismantle exploitative networks, improve direct market access for farmers, and enhance support systems such as affordable inputs and irrigation facilities.
Analysts warn that without urgent intervention, the trend could further deepen Nigeria’s food inflation crisis and undermine efforts at achieving self-sufficiency in rice production.