Patronage of local rice increases in Enugu

The Chairman of Amalgamated Enugu State Farmers Association, Romanus Eze, says government policies and investments in local rice production have increased patronage of the staple food.
The chairman said this in Enugu on Tuesday during a solidarity rally organised by the association in honour of Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
He said that members of the association had benefitted from the kind gesture of the state government which had direct impact on food production in the state.
The chairman said that there had been a substantial increase in agricultural output as over 65 per cent of rural dwellers in the state were farmers.
He said that the Adani Rice in Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area had flooded markets in the state and beyond leading to reduction in prices of the product in the state.
According to him, a bag of 50kg bag of local rice now sells for N14,000 as against N18,000 sold before.
He said that the patronage enjoyed by local rice in the state was massive, adding that it had become the mainstay of staple foods eaten in many homes.
He thanked the governor for his support to farmers including distribution of tractors to all the 17 local government areas of the state which he said aided farmers do their work.
He said that the governor also donated 45,000 bags of lime to improve soil fertility.(NAN)