Nigeria: Lagos Reviews Lake Rice Sales, Assures of Availability

Lake Rice

The Lagos State government has again assured residents of the availability of LAKE Rice at designated outlets across the State.

The Commissioner for Agriculture, Toyin Suarau, gave this assurance yesterday while reviewing sales reports of the product from retail outlets and centres.

Suarau said the government was working assiduously to ensure availability of the product in outlets and centres experiencing short supply.

He assured residents that as from today, all designated retail outlets and centres will have enough supply of the product to meet growing demands.

While defending the resolve of government to distribute and retail the product on senatorial district basis using designated outlets, the Commissioner said the idea was mooted to ensure fair distribution, availability of the product to residents and to guard against unwanted persons diverting the product.

"The product, which is packaged in 50kg, 25kg and 10kg bags, is being sold at N12,000, N6,000 and N2,500 respectively," Suarau said.

He added that residents who reside within Lagos Central Senatorial District can get the product in Ajah at Agric Area Office, Ajah; Lagos Island at LATMA Works yard, Lagos Island; Ajegunle at Alakoto Senior High School, Tolu; Surulere at Teslim Balogun Stadium; and Yaba at Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park.

Suarau noted that the product will also be available to residents in the Lagos East Senatorial District at designated centres, including Odogunyan Farm Service Centre, Ikorodu; Temu Farm Service Centre, Epe; Noforija Town Hall, Eredo; Magbon Alade School, Ibeju Lekki; and State Universal Basic Education Board premises, Maryland.

"The product is also for sale at the following locations in Lagos West Senatorial District; Lagos State Agricultural Development Authority (LSADA)/Farm Service Centre, Oko-oba, Agege; Lagos Agricultural Inputs Supply Authority (LAISA), Ojo; Farm Service Centre, Marina-Badagry; and Ikeja Grammar School, Bolade, Oshodi," the Commissioner stated.

LAKE Rice, is an acronym for LAGOS-KEBBI Rice, which is a product of the collaboration between Lagos and Kebbi State for the development of agricultural commodities like rice, wheat, groundnut, onions, maize/sorghum and beef value chains.

According to Suarau, the collaboration will ensure that quality rice emanates from the 2.5 metric tonne-capacity mills to boost food production in Lagos State.