TO rehabilitate and expand the state’s Omor Rice Mill through a Public-Private Partnership arrangement, Joseph Agro Industries Limited (JAI) has signed a backward Integration Memorandum of Understanding with the Anambra State Government to invest an initial $150 million (N25billion) to the project. 

   The Executive Director of JAI, Ken Irhiogbe, said in a statement yesterday that China Machinery Equipment Corporation (CMEC), a leading global EPC provider, has been appointed technical partners to support in up-scaling the mill’s current capacity of 18,000 metric tonnes to an initial 100,000 metric tonnes, development of 14000 hectares of land into irrigated paddy fields and construction of a green energy bio mass power plant in Omor using rice husk as feedstock.

    As part of its long-term strategic objective to ensure sustainability through technology transfer, the company will collaborate with the Confucius Institute, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka to produce Chinese speaking Nigerian students to understudy best rice technology practice. 

   Explaining further he highlighted that JAI’s objective is to produce 167,000 metric tonnes of rice paddies using 2 cropping seasons while another 15,000 hectares is under negotiation, for development into highly irrigated rice paddy fields

  The Governor of the state, Willie Obiano commended JAI for its support of the State Government’s cardinal points and objectives for agriculture and also in the process providing job opportunities for over 10,000 indigenes by using the out growers scheme. 

  This development, according to the Governor will greatly enhance the economic development of the State and Nigeria.

   He emphasized that with the progress already made by the State in rice production, this project will almost eliminate the state’s supply deficit. 

    Obiano observed that the completion of the project will translate to accelerated development of human and technical capacity which will in turn enhance rice production in the State. 

   He also noted that with the project coming on-stream, it will have direct impact on the growth of internally generated revenue for the State.


http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/business/180467-firm-to-stake-150-million-on-rice-production-in-anambra

Booked

WOW more investment pouring in

Such Investments are meant for those who are technocrats

not those blaming Gej, simply because they have ran of governing ideas

Ride on Obiakpo

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Good. With all these rice investments there is no need for Nigeria to import rice anymore

Am more interested in the job opportunities this would create

Those are the sort of news worth reading. I'm happy for Anambra people.

Very good news. Very soon, rice importation will be a thing of the past