BUA upgrades rice mill to meet one million tonnes processing target

Mill to include parboiling plant as firm partners farmers in Kano, Jigawa.

In line with government’s backward integration agenda in the rice industry, BUA Rice Ltd, a subsidiary of BUA Group, has initiated plans to increase the firm’s milling capacity from 200,000tonnes to one million tones within the next four years.

According to the firm, the increase in its milling capacity and partnership with farmers will aid the realization of local rice production agenda. During a stakeholder session with Kano Rice Farmers Associations to develop an efficient outgrowers scheme that will involve the provision of improved seeds, technical expertise as well as BUA’s milling and processing infrastructure in a programme that is expected to drive BUA current processing capacity, the firm expressed commitment to the agenda.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Group Executive Director, BUA Group, Kabiru Rabiu, said BUA remained genuinely committed to government’s resolve to reduce the nation’s dependence on imported rice by boosting local capacity to produce, process and package rice.

He added that the private-led partnership will also support the rice farmers to take advantage of the CBN Anchor Borrowers Scheme while BUA will provide end-to-end support to the value chain in ensuring that its milling facilities are being utilized optimally.

Furthermore, Rabiu noted that BUA Group is also seeking – as part of the partnership, to support the government in establishing another 200,000 tonnes rice processing plant on the banks of the Hadejia River Basin in Auyo, Jigawa State.