Thailand Plans To Establish Rice Mills In Nigeria

0

The Federal Government has announced plans that Thailand had commenced the implementation of plans to establish rice mills in Nigeria. 

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, made the announcement during a tour of some rice farms in Kebbi state.

The Minister says this was made possible because of the reduction on Nigeria’s rice importation by over 90 percent.

The minister also mentioned that Nigeria been able to cut down on the importation of rice from Thailand from 644,000 metric tonnes two years ago to a little over 20,000 metric tonnes currently.

Mohammed stated that the federal government had succeeded in its war against rice importation, particularly from Thailand as Nigeria had reduced its importation of the grain by more than 90%.

Mohammed remarked: “As we speak today, Thailand rice growers are making passionate appeal to the Federal Government. What they are doing now is that they want to set up rice mills in Nigeria, which means we have won.” He explained why Thailand rice producers were making serious moves to set up mills in Nigeria. He said: “ Thailand wants to set up several rice mills in Nigeria because we have stopped importing from them.”

Meanwhile, the minister of agriculture and rural development, Audu Ogbeh, says Thailand had accused President Muhammadu Buhari’s government of being responsible for the collapse of its seven rice mills as rice importation into Nigeria had fallen drastically. Ogbeh made this known at a meeting of the Presidential Fertilizer Initiative (PFI) and leadership of the Fertiliser Producers and Suppliers of Nigeria (FEPSAN) held at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Friday, February 2.