Labana rice mills finally extends large production to Benin Republic

From Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

Labana Rice Mills, Kebbi State has finally concluded arrangement with the Benin Republic, West Africa nation, to commence large scale production of parboiled rice in the country.

The General Manager of the company, Alhaji Abdullahi Idris Zuru, confirmed this development in a statement made available to newsmen in Birnin Kebbi, Headquarters of the Rice Mills.

According to him, “arrangements have been concluded for the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Labana Rice Mills and the Government of the Republic of Benin for large scale Rice production.

“To this end, a delegation from Labana Rice Mills are being expected to be in Cotonou, Benin Republic for the signing of the MOU”.

Zuru explained that, the Benin Government’s acceptance of the partnership with the Nigerian’s company in agribusiness was conveyed to the Chairman of Labana Rice Mills through a letter signed by Mr. Alfred Sourou Akossoun on behalf of the Ambassador of Benin Republic in Nigeria.

He said: “It stated that “Benin Republic Authorities have graciously granted your request for the establishment of a partnership for Rice cultivation in the Republic of Benin.

” It could be recalled that early this month, a delegation from Benin Republic comprising of the Deputy Ambassador, Director- General of the Agricultural Development Agency and a Member of the country’s National Assembly was in Kebbi state to kick start the process of the partnership.

“While in the state, the delegation visited Labana Rice Mills and inspected both the 16 and 20 tones per hour(TPH) capacity plants, visited the 10,000 hectares Labana Rice farm at Gante in Bagudo local government and rounded up the visit with a meeting with members of the Board of Directors of Labana Rice Mills”.

Zuru, noted that, “at the end, the leader of the delegation Senator( Deputee) Issa Saley Salifou expressed satisfaction with the capacity of the Rice Mills and quality of its products as well as the quality and capacity of the machinery being used at Labana Farms, stressing that the partnership being considered will be beneficial to the citizens of the two countries, particularly those at the border”.

He added that ,the Government of Benin Republic are expected to provide substantial number of hectares of land to Labana for cultivation of rice for Labana Rice Mills whose annual paddy requirement will hit 300,000 metric tones.

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