TheCable

Amarava Rice Mill, a leading indigenous company based in Kano, says it is taking a major step towards self-sufficiency in rice production.

TheCable understands that the company is set to boost its production capacity by over 100 percent, to the tune of 500 metric tonnes daily.

In 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari inaugurated the first end-to-end made-in-Nigeria rice mill with only Nigerian human and material resources.

Sriram Venkateswaran, chairman, Fullmark Group (parent company of Amarava Agro Processors Limited), said the capacity-boosting drive aimed at promoting government diversification effort and reducing independence on the importation of rice while also improving food security.

“Currently, we produce 250 metric tonnes of rice per day and we would double the capacity in the next few days with the expansion of our millers. This would serve as positive reinforcement for our local rice farmers because they will increase hectares used for rice cultivation, in addition to engaging more farmers that would be directly involved in the cultivation process, thereby boosting agricultural productivity of the Nigerian economy,” Venkateswaran said.

The chairman said the millers’ expansion would also generate more direct and indirect jobs across the country, assuring that Nigeria would attain the status of Africa’s food basket’ soon.

He urged the Central Bank and government at all levels to support what he called agricultural revolution in the country by committing more funds for investment and instituting enabling policies for local farming.