Elephant group, the nation largest and fastest growing indigenous agro commodities company has formally taken over through concession, the running of the Elele Alimini rice processing mill in Rivers State, from the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC).
The take over was disclosed in a release signed by Mr. Babatunde Ajibola, the group Media Consultant.
“The Mill has the capacity to process 210 metric tons of paddies of rice per day. With this development, a positive impact will be brought to the Nigerian Economy because it would create jobs both directly and indirectly and increase the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“It will guarantee food security and also go a long way in supporting the Federal Government efforts to ensure agricultural sustenance and food sufficiency,” Ajibola stated.
Mr. Tunji Owoeye, the Managing Director of Elephant group, assured of his firm’s readiness to make effective use of the mill, stating that Elephant pride rice, which is the firm’s local rice to be produced in the mill, will soon flood the market.’
He said the mill will also encourage the local communities to grow more rice through the out-growers scheme, thus expanding the agricultural value chain.
The Elephant Group in conjunction with the Edo State government and the Nigeria Incentive Based Risk Sharing System for Agricultural Landing (NIRSAL) has also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to buy off cassava from about 350 farmers that will be benefiting from the Central Bank Of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme in Edo North Senatorial district of Edo State.
The Edo State Government has approved the sum of N140Million as its counterpart funding for land preparation for the program, which will engage about 150 cassava farmers and 200 youths in the senatorial district participating by cultivating 500 hectares of cassava.
In the agreement, Elephant group buys off the cassava from the farmers which will in turn be processed into flour. This program will kick off before the end of the year.
“We want to make the nation to be food sufficient ,create employment and support the federal govt policy of back to farm without sole reliance on oil and gas assets ’ Owoeye emphasized.
