CARF-FSD launches nationwide survey to assess impact of zero import tariff on Nigeria’s rice sector - NaijaAgroNet

The Competitive African Rice Forum for Sustainable Development (CARF-FSD), serving as the national chapter of the ECOWAS Rice Observatory in Nigeria, has officially launched a nationwide impact assessment survey to evaluate the operational effects of the Federal Government's Zero Import Tariff policy on the country’s rice value chain, reports NaijaAgroNet.

The survey targets primary stakeholders across the agribusiness ecosystem, including smallholder farmers, commercial millers, processors, seed producers, distributors, and agro-dealers; to collect first-hand field data on how the temporary duty exemption is altering market dynamics, local production capacity, and food security.

The zero-tariff initiative on staple imports was designed as a anti-inflation measure. However, agribusiness players have expressed varying perspectives regarding its effect on domestic investments, paddy off-take rates, and the competitiveness of locally processed rice against imported alternatives.

Speaking on the objective of the study, CARF-FSD stated that the exercise aims to generate transparent, evidence-based data to guide future policy decisions, ensure sustainable economic growth, and protect the investments made across Nigeria's agricultural sector.

Remmy Nweke/DoP