Eric Dumo
The Lagos State Government on Friday signed an agreement with leading rice-mill producer, Bühler AG, for the acquisition of a 32 tonnes per hour rice mill.
Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who led other senior members of his administration to Zurich, Switzerland, where the deal was sealed, said that the development was in furtherance of his vision of enhancing food security and creating employment in the state.
The partnership is expected to create about 200,000 jobs across the agriculture value chain while also leading to the cultivation of 32,000 hectares of farmland to produce rice paddy, equating to an estimated 130 million kilogram of processed rice per year – the equivalent of 2.6 million 50kg bags of rice.
Ambode said, “The state-of-the-art rice mill will be sited in Imota, Ikorodu, and it requires 32,000 hectares of land for cultivation of rice paddy.
“This investment is expected to create thousands of jobs in rice value chain. In addition to the current arrangement with Kebbi State, Lagos would go into partnership with neighboring states, to ensure sustainable inputs for the mill and foster regional economic integration.”
According to the agreement, the partnership with Buhler covers supplies and installation of the rice mill, including silos.
It also covers maintenance and technical support as well as technical training of Nigerians in the growing sub-sector of the economy.
The rice mill will be the single largest mill of its kind in Nigeria and is expected to be delivered within one year.
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