Dangote set to crash price of rice

DANGOTE Group of Companies has said that all necessary arrangement has been finalised to establish a large-scale rice mill in Kano, with a capacity of 250,000 tonnes per annum.

The group’s project, it claims, is also scheduled to be inaugurated by the end of next year, and it would be the largest fertiliser plant in sub-Sahara Africa, with a capacity of 2.8 million tonnes per annum.

The Executive Director of the Dangote Group, Hajiya Halima Dangote, who dropped the hint at the Dangote Day at the 37th Kano Trade Fair, said when the mill becomes fully operational, it was expected to commence processing of all the rice harvested from three states, namely, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kano.

“Our Group has already commenced rice production through an extensive out grower programme in Jigawa State, which would be replicated in Zamfara, Sokoto and some other states, making it expedient for the group to establish a large-scale rice mill in Kano.”

She further stated that the Dangote Group was committed to partnering with both the Federal and the Kano State government to explore the opportunities in agriculture, mining and infrastructure.

According to her: “You are already aware of our recent reopening of our flour mill here in Kano, as well as the ongoing tomato processing project, which would have been fully operational by now, but for the tomato disease, which affected the production last season, coupled with some technical problems at the factory, as we are currently working very hard to resolve these problems and resume operation.”

Noting that while the group was by no means discouraged by the present difficulties, it however, viewed them as challenges that the country would overcome.