The Jigawa chapter of the Rice Dealers Association of Nigeria, on Friday, said it had concluded arrangements to establish six pilot rice trading centres in the state.
The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Idris Ya’u, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Hadejia, Jigawa, that the centres would be established in collaboration with the Federal Government.
He said the Federal Government would spend about N12 million on each of the centres, while farmers’ association in each of the participating areas would contribute N600,000 to the project.
“The Federal Government has also introduced a new 100-kg bag to ensure accuracy in the measurement of paddy rice,” he said.
Ya’u explained that the gesture was to accelerate paddy rice production, enhance farmer enterprising skills and encourage competition.
The chairman said that the trading centres would be sited at Auyo, Birninkudu, Hadejia, Kazaure, Kirikasamma and Ringim, all in Jigawa, and be equipped with processing and packaging equipment to add value to the produce.
He added that officials of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture had already inspected the sites for the proposed trading centres.
It would be recalled that the Federal Government had, during the last dry season, distributed fertilisers, seeds and chemicals to 154,000 registered rice farmers under the Growth Enhancement Support (GES) programme
