Victoria Mgbanwa
The National Chairman, Association of Greenfield Rice Producers, Marketers and Entrepreneurs, (AGRIPMENT), Chief Oludare Adekolu, has said that the association is rendering assistance to rice farmers to fast track their businesses.
He said the group is linking rice farmers to like-minded entrepreneurs, government ministries and agencies, equipment and input companies, financial institutions, so as to improve their output.
The Chief Executive of Igbemo Rice Processing Company made the disclosure in Ado Ekiti.
He stated that his association, with branches across Nigeria is bringing together rice investors, farmers, millers, processors and marketers to connect with appropriate quarters to boost rice production.
According to him, the association is in contact with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Small and Micro Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria to request inputs and equipment for its members to boost production of rice nationwide.
“Findings from consultations with members across the country showed that members needed input and machineries to ease their transactions of rice sufficiency.
“The inputs included improved seeds, herbicides, pesticides fertilizers and urea. The equipment included paddy parboiling machines, paddy dryers, paddy milling machines and rice destoning machines”.
Adekolu further stated that members would be willing to comply with terms and conditions to access government support.
“We humbly request for a monitoring officer from the Ministry or SMEDAN as the case may be for updates on our members activities”.he added.
