Rice millers seek government’s support to boost production

Mr. Ahmed Pantami, the National Chairman, Rice Millers Association of Nigeria in Gombe, made the appeal in Gombe

Pantami said the closure of the land borders had increased the activities of rice production nationwide, hence, the acqusition of modern equipment to facilitate the processing of rice production in large scale.

He noted that the traditional methods of drying rice paddies were no longer helpful, considering the need to meet the high demand for rice across the country, to ensure food security and sufficiency.

According to him, with modern rice drying machine and other equipment, there will be wider acceptance of locally processed rice, which will gradually replace the consumption of foreign rice in the country.

He noted that a lot of youths had been absorbed from the streets since the closure of borders, adding “ the streets of Gombe are now empty of youths who before now take into drug abuse''.