Cross River to commence production of rice seedlings soon

Twenty-seven containers of automated rice seedlings equipment have arrived the Ayade industrial park in Calabar.The equipment, which are ready for installation include; transplanting and harvesting machines, sorter of various types, rice hullers, graders, cleaners and de-stoners, packing scales, among others.

Project Manager of the centre, Patrick Obiren, in a release from the governor’s office, disclosed that already, contractors from Taiwan are on their way to Calabar for full installations of the automated machines.

Obiren said during the installation, there is going to be a huge training process for the local engineers and skilled labours, adding that there is also going to be opportunities for everyone seeking to work in the industrial city.

He said: “Very soon, Cross River State government will be supplying the whole country the new automated and vitaminised rice seedlings. “Citizens need not to go outside the state to buy rice for their local consumption as the Rice Mills in Ogoja will produce more than what they need.”