PRESIDENT JONATHAN COMMISSIONS THE LARGEST INTEGRATED RICE PROCESSING MILL IN AFRICA

PRESIDENT JONATHAN COMMISSIONS THE LARGEST INTEGRATED RICE PROCESSING MILL IN AFRICA ……….. Nassarawa State Becomes an SCPZ Zone

Wed, Jul 16, 2014

President Goodluck Jonathan,GCFR, has directed the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, to facilitate the process of making Olam Nigeria’s Rukuba Community ,in Nassarawa State, one of the Staple Crops Processing Zones (SCPZ) in Nigeria.

President Jonathan gave this directive on Monday, 14^th July, 2014, while commissioning the 105,000 metric tonnes Olam integrated state –of-the-art rice mill in Nassarawa State, Nigeria.

The President said that the Federal Government will continue to promote Public-Private-Partnerships (PPP), with a view to unlocking the country’s agricultural potentials. He said, “Our goal of making Nigeria a net exporter of rice will be achieved faster by encouraging large commercial farms that will not only boost food production but also provide significant opportunities for jobs in rural areas”.

He added that the Federal Government was encouraged with the plan by Olam Nigeria, to invest $400 million into agricultural business in Nigeria and promised more incentives for rice producers in the new rice policy. Describing the development of some infrastructure  within the Rukuba community,  following the establishment of the Olam Farm as very encouraging.

 President Jonathan said the company would be encouraged to provide more jobs in more rural areas within the state. He however assured that government would release funds very soon for the Nigropreneur enterprise that is targeted at the young farming entrepreneurs in Nigeria.

Welcoming President Goodluck Jonathan to the commissioning ceremony, the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina,CON, stated that the commissioning of the Integrated Rice Mill was a demonstration of the success of  President Jonathan’s leadership, which had  aggressively promoted Agri-business in Nigeria. According to him, “Nigeria is driving a rice policy that will turn it away from being a rice importing country to a major rice exporter”, adding that the investment by Olam in a commercial rice farm and integrated rice mill would help boost domestic production and milling of international quality- grade rice in Nigeria.

He therefore described the present administration as a “doing government and not a talking government”.

The Minister disclosed that the private sector had invested over N1billion in rice production, saying that the  success of the rice model was expected to kick-start domestic production and reduce Nigeria’s need to import 1.9million tonnes of rice each year.

 Speaking at the ceremony,the Executive Governor of Nassarawa State, Alh. Umaru Tanko Al-makura,  stated that the state had facilitated a peaceful co-existence between Olam Nigeria and the host communities and therefore described the commissioning of the 105,000 metric tons capacity Rice Mill, as a testimony  that “ Nassarawa State has been inducted into the Hall of Fame as a Rice producing State in Nigeria”.

In his remarks,  the Managing Director of Olam, Africa, Mr. Venkataramani Srivathsan,  said the commissioning of a Rice Mill was to demonstrate how large-scale commercial farms could work hand –in-hand with smallholder farmers to help advance Nigeria’s Agricultural Transformation.

He said Olam planned to increase its acreage in Nassarawa state  to 10,000 hectares to bring the total investment in the integrated farm and milling facility to over N18 billion.