By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The military junta in Niger has placed a ban on the export of rice, cereal and other food exports to all countries, but excluded its fellow junta-led Burkina Faso and Mali from the policy.
The government says the move is to protect local supply.
The development comes as the Sahel nation faces high inflation on key staple foods.
In addition to rice, other food items banned from export include legumes such as cowpea and cereals like millet, sorghum and corn.
The junta leader, Abdourahamane Tchiani took the measure “to protect the supply of the internal market” and “make the goods of mass consumption accessible”, the government said in a statement late on Wednesday.
“These prohibitions do not apply to exports to Mali and Burkina Faso, Niger’s allied neighbours which are also ruled by military leaders who took power in coups,” the statement added.
Those found to disobey the ban will have their consignments seized and could face criminal penalties.
Niger is a key supplier of cereals in the West African region, especially for some states in neighbouring Nigeria.
Although the sanctions imposed on Niger by West African bloc ECOWAS in the wake of the July 2023 coup were lifted in February, they have nonetheless disrupted regular supplies to Nigerien markets where inflation remains high for products including rice.
The closure of the border between Niger and Benin has also contributed to the disruption.
The agriculture minister has vowed to buy part of farmers’ harvests to fill up the country’s emergency reserves.
The ministry said it hoped for “good agricultural harvests” despite major flooding across the West African nation.
Heritage Times HT reports that the three nations had in September last year set up the mutual defence pact in response to expulsion from the regional bloc following forceful military take over of power.
Soldiers took power in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in a series of coups that took 2020 to 2023.
All three countries have been affected by jihadist violence, which is part of the reasons adduced for the army takeovers.
They alleged that France, their former colony was manipulating ECOWAS and failing to provide enough support for anti-jihadist efforts.
