Jinja gets sh200m rice-milling plant

By James Odomel

UPLAND Rice millers have set up a sh200m factory in Jinja, a shift manager, Alfred Aisu, has disclosed.

The factory’s standards are similar those of mills in Vietnam, Pakistan, Thailand and Japan. It aims at processing rice for the local and foreign market.

In an interview, Aisu explained: “Experts came here for two months to fit the machine. They also gave us intensive training on how to operate professionally.”

The mill can produce over 6,000 tonnes daily. Aisu added: “Traders who bring un-milled rice can get a better price from our clean milled rice.”

He added that since Ugandan rice is fresh and not stored for many years, it is of a better quality than most imported rice.

Aisu noted that foreigners in Uganda are some of the biggest consumers of their rice.

The stores manager, Balam Ojuk, said: “Traders who mill with us can sell to schools. We can make a special arrangement for the traders to make quick sales. They can also sell their un-milled rice to us.”

Ojuk elaborated: “We want to give an opportunity to small traders to grow by bringing rice to us for milling rather than us going to buy from them. This gives village traders a chance to make extra cash. If we open stores in the village, we shall take that extra profit from the village businessmen.”