BUA Targets 1m Tonnes Rice Processing Capacity
• Set to upgrade largest mill in Nigeria to include
parboiling plant
Ibrahim Shuaibu in Kano
To further boost to federal government’s agriculture drive, BUA Rice Ltd, owners of Nigeria’s largest rice mill and a subsidiary of Nigeria’s foremost foods and infrastructure conglomerate, BUA Group, yesterday had a stakeholder session with the Kano Rice Farmers Associations to develop an efficient outgrowers scheme.
The programme will involve the provision of improved seeds, technical expertise as well as BUA’s milling and processing infrastructure in a programme that is expected to drive BUA current processing capacity from 200,000 tonnes to 1million tonnes within the next 4 years.
Currently, BUA’s Rice mill, which was supplied by world renowned Satake Japanese Technology, is the largest rice mill in Nigeria with a total processing capacity of about 200,000 metric tonnes per annum.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Kabiru Rabiu, Group Executive Director, BUA Group, said that BUA remained genuinely committed to the government’s resolve to reduce the Nation’s dependence on imported rice by boosting local capacity to produce, process and package rice locally.
He further added that this unique private-led partnership will also support the rice farmers to take advantage of the CBN Anchor Borrowers Scheme whilst BUA will provide end-to-end support to the value chain in ensuring that its milling facilities are being utilised optimally.
Furthermore, Rabiu added that BUA Group is also seeking – as part of the partnership, to support the government in establishing another 200,000tonnes rice processing plant on the banks of the Hadejia River Basin in Auyo, Jigawa State.
He also commended the President Buhari administration for driving a Nigeria first policy in Agric; the Central Bank of Nigeria for providing an enabling environment for farmers to access finance as well as the Kano and Jigawa State governments for their support in ensuring the initiative came to fruition.
In his comments, the Chairman of the Kano State Rice Farmers Association commended BUA Group for initiating this partnership, declaring that Kano State alone had over 500,000 rice farmers with over 40,000 of them fully registered with the Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN).
He was also optimistic that the initiative will see improved yields as well as reduce wastage currently being experienced due to insufficient processing and storage facilities.
BUA Rice Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of BUA Group of Companies with its primary milling facilities located in Kano State, northern Nigeria.
