Group Solicits FG’s Support On Rice Production

The Abakaliki Rice Mill
Owners Industrial Association has called for the Federal Government’s support to enable it to produce more rice for local consumption and export.
The Chairman of the association, Chief Joseph Ununu, made the call in Abakaliki in an interview wth newsmen recently.
Ununu said that in terms of quantity and quality, the rice processed at the mill could meet the needs of Nigerians and foreigners.
‘’Members of the association are genuine farmers who would revolutionlise rice production in the country with the needed assistance from the government.
‘’This assistance can come in form of loans, provision of farm inputs, provision of modern equipment at the mills, among others, to help in massive rice production.’’
The chairman noted that the mill currently produced enough for distribution across the country, adding that the the enhancement of its activities would attract the interest of youths in rice production.
‘’This will reduce the high rate of unemployment in the state, as the youths will be actively engaged with the association providing them with loans, among other incentives.’’
Ununu said that the association was not opposed to the state government’s inauguration of the three rice mills across the senatorial zones of the state, but called for the retention of Abakaliki rice mill for effective competition.
‘’Forcing us to start using the new mills will imply closing our businesses, as the new mills have no provision for small and medium scale rice millers like us.
‘’They have sophisticated machines which would require more than three trailer loads that contains over 1,800 bags of rice produce to meet their daily processing needs.
‘’No private rice farmer can cultivate such huge amount and if farmers decide to contribute in order to meet the amount, they would have problems dividing it after processing,’’ he said.