Rice processors have called on the federal government to criminalise smuggling and sale of foreign rice in order to save investment in local rice production.
The processors cried out that their N3.4 trillion investments in rice processing is under threat from smugglers.
Director-General of Rice Processors Association of Nigeria (RIPAN), Andy Ekwelem,who spoke to newsmen on the development said smuggled foreign rice have flooded Nigerian markets again, threatening the local rice production.
He said local rice mills, which he said, employed over 13 million workers directly would be forced to shut down if something is not urgently done to save the situation.
He noted that the reopening of borders by the federal government further aided the operation of smugglers who flooded the markets with foreign rice.
