Cooperative society decries inability to mill 2016 rice in Port-Harcourt


The Port-Harcourt Glorious Cooperative Society has decried the inability of its members to mill 2016 rice produced in the state.
The President of the society, Mr Amos Ogbu, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.
Ogbu said the state-owned milling machines were grounded due to lack of use for many years, adding that the state Ministry of Agriculture was making efforts to repair the miller.
The president added that his association planned to carry their products to Ebony for milling if the facility failed to function, noting that this would cost money and reduce their profit margin.
He said the transportation would cost between N50,000 and N100, 000, excluding milling cost.
Ogbu, the Pastor of World Harvest Assembly, Port Harcourt, said the cost of milling a bag of rice at Ebony was N2,000.
He said the cooperative had planned to brand the product “Rivers Rice”, but expressed regrets that the state was not encouraging farmers.
Ogbu said the society was not deterred, and added that the group would go places if the state government provide plough, harvester and milling machines, among other facilities.



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