The
state government on Sunday declared that its rice plants at Acha in
Isuikwuato, Ofeme in Umuahia North and Uzuakoli in Bende LGAs were
producing large quantity of rice enough for local consumption which will
soon be exporting to other states.
Chief John Okiyi Kalu, the
state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, told newsmen in Umuahia
that Abia rice known in local parlance as “Osikapa Abia” will be ready
for export soon.
According to him, the rice mills had been
equipped with modern technology that makes rice produced in them to be
stone-free and nutritious.
This, he added, makes Abia rice internationally acceptable because it meets the modern method of producing the grain.
The
commissioner further stated that the critics were indeed lampooning the
government because they were not aware of the rigorous process of rice
production; a situation that makes them assume that the ones produced in
Abia were imported.
Kalu argued that because of its increase in
the mills, point of sales for the product had been opened in Aba,
Umuahia and Isuikwuato, recalling that on assumption of office in May
2015, the Okezie Ikpeazu administration commenced what he called “the
massive production the grain in parts of the state.
This, he
added, informed the reason the governor directed many years ago that
only locally produced rice should be served in government organised
ceremonies anywhere in the state.
The commissioner maintained
that the strengthening of Abia Marketing Agency was to galvanise the
agency to export Abia produced goods which Abia Rice is one, stressing
that some of the access roads leading to the mills including the ones to
rice farmers were being rehabilitated.
Kalu used the opportunity
to announce that the government has commenced the supply of seedlings
to rice farmers and therefore challenged the farmers across the
federation to install modern equipment in their mills to ensure that
their product meets international standard and taste.
Meanwhile,
facts, findings by ABACITYBLOG MEDIA showed that a bag of rice (not Abia
Rice) is being sold at N24, 000 (twenty four thousand Naira) in Aba
while a cup of rice by retailers is sold at N200.