The National Co-Ordinator of Nigeria Agribusiness Group, NABG, Dr. Emmanuel Ijewere, dropped the hint on Thursday in Lagos, at a forum organised by The Nigerian Agricultural Journalists, NAAJ.

He said currently there are 22 integrated rice mills across the country , enough  to meet the local consumption requirement of about 8million metric tons per annum with excess for export.

Dr. Ijewere attributed the leap in rice production to favorable government policies in the Agricultural sector that has also encouraged local producers of tomatoes and palm oil among other farm produce

“Now almost all the states in the country grow rice, the revolution in agriculture is no longer the type we use to have in the 80″s and 90’s no, it has changed, as at today we believe that at the rate we are going by end of 2018 Nigeria should be able to export rice.” He said.

On the controversial 1977 land use act, Dr Ijewere noted that it does not really constitute a major  disincentive to farming in the country since about 85 to 90 percent of farmers in the country are small holders. He explained that the act was intended to make land accessible for development by revoking freehold and revering to government for leases of 99 years, although it has been subjected to abuse by some authorities.

The NABG boss however, disclosed that a commission has been set up to review the land use act to encourage commercial farming in the country.

In his words “the land use act is not the major source of disadvantage to agriculture, it’s important to reform the act, it’s important to make it easier, it’s important to take it out of the hands of one man in a state to give it out as it pleases him, it must be guided by principles.”