The Liberia Business Association (LIBA) calls on border control security personnel to remain vigilant and prevent the haulage of large quantities of rice to neighboring countries at the detriment of the country’s interest.
LIBA believes that rice importers in Liberia have the financial capacity to establish large commercial rice farms and acquire the necessary rice harvesting, milling and parboiling machineries to commence value addition to locally produced “country rice” that would satisfy the taste and preference of Liberians to that of the imported parboiled rice.
“With LIBA statutory mandate, we can lobby local authorities in the counties to provide several acres of farmland to well-prepared local and foreign investors who are ready to engage in the production and value addition of our local rice,” a release said.
LIBA said it recognizes the efforts being made by CHAP, a local Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) and a member of LIBA, for setting the pace to producing, parboiling and packaging our local country rice, which is of international standard and widely patronized by some corporate entities for their staff, as well as many Liberian households.
The group observed that such initiative by a Liberian owned institution needs support from government and donors to increase production.
LIBA wants Liberians at home and in the diaspora to constructively engage with it to begin the conversation on establishing commercial rice farms in Liberia and setting up modern processing plants to improve the finished product.
“LIBA holds the view that if Liberians get involved in the production of their staple food, we can drastically reduce the amount of foreign currency spent on the importation of rice annually and thereby increasing the country’s Gross Domestic Product,” the release indicated.
