ABSTRACT

Nigeria s one of die largest producers and consumers of rice in West Africa. ,he has experienced the Fastest growth rate in product ion and consumption of rice as Colipase(l to any oilier Ibod crop over ihe years. The flick coii1 ifli)t 1011 Iii the motility outstrips local production and a bout (LÔMT of mit led rice has been imported annual lv during 1 980 to 1 98-1 ( Ash iraf et a I., I 088). With the recent ban imposed on the of rice iii Nigeria. local neared prices have been rising sharply, thus favorably alVcctin the economic position of the crop in the lirniiug systems of th rice producing COilliflUli iiv. Rice in Nigeria is produced under diverse ecological conditions consisting of uplands, inland valleys, flood plains, irrigated lowlands and niamnove swamps. it is estimated that about 6 1 0,000ha of land are planted to rice crop ( Nyanteng, 1987). This is only about 13% of the total estimated \' etlaiids in the country (Chaudluy and Nanda. 1 986). A large concentration of li-this inland valleys are found in the middle belt slates and southeastern stales of Nigeria, where populalioii p1essire is relatively high and contain most veiland under valleys and flood plains.