Nigeria seen as second biggest rice buyer in 2019, behind China

ABUJA: Nigeria’s rice imports will jump 13% next year to 3.4 million tonnes, making Africa’s most populous country the world’s biggest rice importer after China, according to the US Department of Agriculture.

“China and Nigeria are projected to remain the largest rice importing countries in 2019, followed by the EU, Cote d’Ivoire, and Iran,” the USDA said in its latest Rice Outlook released Tuesday. “Nigeria and Egypt are projected to account for the bulk of the 2019 import increase.”