Gombe rice millers lament difficulty in transporting produce
Rice millers in Gombe state have decried difficulties they experience in transporting paddy from farms to the rice mill due to the lockdown order against the spread of coronavirus.
A cross-section of the rice millers in Gombe on Wednesday, have therefore, appealed to the federal government to assist them towards easing the hardship being experienced on the road.
They said the difficulty in transporting paddy was frustrating their businesses.
Alhaji Danjuma Shehu, vhairman, Gombe state Rice Millers’ Association, said there was shortage of paddy for processing due to transportation challenges.
“Rice is a staple food.We are appealing to the federal government to intervene in our plight.This is too much and it’s affecting our businesses and we are helpless,’’ Shehu said.
Shehu said that President Muhammadu Buhari had ordered that essential service providers should be exempted from the lockdown.
“But, we are having serious challenges transporting paddy to our factories; this is not supposed to be.
“We are working to ensure that we continue to meet demands for our rice and ensure that food is available in this period of lockdown, but transportation issues are numerous.
“Our members, who go to Taraba and Adamawa states to get paddy from farmers are either denied access or they are forced to pay before they are allowed access from these states,’’ he decried.
Also speaking, Alhaji Musa Arab, a rice processor said if the situation was not addressed soon, it could lead to rice shortage in the country.
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“From here, several trucks load rice to other parts of the country because we mill enough rice here in this industrial layout.
“Today, there is more demand for our rice, but for the transportation issues,’’ Arab lamented.
He added that dry season farmers were also complaining that if they do not sell the paddy harvested before the rains, there would be wastage because they do not have storage facilities.
According to him, they store paddies in farmlands.
“Government should help us with special passes for our members on the road, so we can have paddy to process to avert food crisis,’’ he said.
While commending the federal government’s efforts in growing small-scale agri-businesses to empower farmers and youths and create employment, Arab also appreciated the Gombe state government for constructing road networks in their industrial layout.
