Rice Millers in Niger state have the capacity to produce 100,000 metric tons of rice per day but lack of availability of paddy has been impeding the operation of integrated mills in the state.
The chairman of the Niger state chapter of Rice Millers Association of Nigeria (RIMAM), Adam Daban, stated in a meeting with members in Minna Thursday.
He said, “RIMAM is serious over the acute shortage and lack of paddy in the state as a result of which many mills are folding up from business. We have over 30 mills in Niger state out of which over 20 are integrated millers. The problem we have is that traders from Kano and other states mop up paddy from the state direct from farmers at farms immediately at harvest. This has been the cause of astronomical increase in price of rice in Niger state.”
He stated that the price of rice has continued to skyrocket in the state because millers are unable to meet production capacity due to inability to access paddy which serves as raw material to the mills, adding that, “as we all know, Kano state has many rice mills but doesn’t produce paddy. They come to Niger with huge amount of money to mop up the produce while some of the traders even enticed farmers with incentives.”
Lamenting that most of the rice mills in Niger state are being forced out of operation, Daban said several mills are now operating below 30 percent of installed capacity due to availability of paddy in the state.
Daban called on Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago to consider members of the association operating in the state in the allocation of paddy rice under the government agro mechanised farming programme before exporting the products to Lagos.
