LABANA RICE MILLS TO INCREASES PRODUCTION CAPACITY TO 400 TONS NEXT YEAR.
FROM : AYODELE AJOGE, BIRNIN-KEBBI.
The Labana Rice Mills Ltd., the producers of Labana perboiled rice, Birnin-Kebbi, Kebbi State is targetting it production capacity increase from the present 200,000 metric tons per annum to 300,000 to 400,000 metric tons in the first quarter of next year.
The General Manager of the firm, Abdullahi Idris Zuru in company of the Chairman of Labana Farm and its Conglomerate, Alhaji Abubakar Abba Aliero disclosed this while conducting newsmen round the 10,000 hecters of the farm lands at Gante village in Bagudo LGA of the State.
Zuru explained that 10,000 hecter of lands is being cultivated twice in a year vis a vis wet and dry seasons, adding that the farm was primarily established as a feeder to the Labana Rice Mills also to serve as one of the sources of its major raw materials.
He explained further that the present 16 tons capacity has the production power of 200,000 metric tons annually which is being feds by the paddy rice cultivates in Labana farm.
Pointing out that Labana farm produces 50 per cent of paddy rice requirements for the rice mills 120,000 metric tons including reserves, adding that at present only 7,000 out of the 10,000 hecter is being cultivated giving production capacity at 20,000 tons per hour.
He reiterated that the second phase plant of the rice mills which will be commissioned by December this year has the capacity to produce 40,000 tons per hour, and 300,000 metric tons per year, the biggest in Africa.