The Rice Farmers Association has dissociated itself from contractors who claim the aim of the anchor borrowers programme in rice production is being defeated.
The contractors claim to be owed monies for input supplies under the project but the farmers say the allegation is false.
The anchor borrowers programme is a backward integration project of the Central Bank Of Nigeria which has particularly impacted rice production in the country.
It is believed to be one of government’s most successful intervention programmes.
But an open letter written to Nigeria’s President by a group which identifies itself as concerned contractors to the rice farmers association under the anchor borrowers programme, is causing some unease. It claims that non payment of monies for input supplies by the apex bank will affect the project. But the rice farmers deny this claim.
Prior to introduction of the anchor borrowers programme, foreign exchange allocation for the importation of various commodities, including rice, depleted the countries reserves.
The placement of rice on the apex bank’s Forex restriction list and the anchor borrowers production is reported to have significantly improved rice production in Nigeria.
