Yemisi Izuora
Stallion Popular Farms and Mills Limited has assured annual increase in locally farmed rice from 450, 000 metric tonnes to 1.5million tonnes, using integrated rice value chain and enhanced milling activities, Group Director Hapreet Singh has affirmed.
Singh made this pledge in Abuja while acknowledging IBCA – ‘Outstanding Projects and Business Leaders of the Year Award’ recently conferred on the company for its remarkable role in integrated rice value chain and enhanced local rice production.
He said the company decided to increase farmed rice yield to compliment President Muhammadu Buhari agri-business agenda to make Nigeria self-sufficient in food production, while also applauding Chief Audu Ogbeh agrarian backward integration initiative.
“Our vision has always been to preserve and enhance rice production in Nigeria by ensuring genetic integrity of seeds, encourage scientific agricultural practices and promote world-class processing techniques to emerge as industry benchmark for product quality,” he added.
Mr. Singh thanked IBCA, (Inside Business Commendation Award) for creating a platform to acknowledge real positive change makers in the agric sector, where Popular Farms & Mills was distinguished as outstanding projects and business leaders of the year.
“We owe this accomplishment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership aptitudes and agri-business agenda,” Stallion Farms & Mills director said.
Stallion Popular Farms and Mills Limited began farming activities in Nigeria 10 years ago.
Adding that the farm would leverage on the impulse provided by the Federal Government through its transformation agenda, Mr. Singh said Stallion has already established integrated agricultural operations such as world-class rice mills at strategic locations to promote milling and paddy cultivation in captive areas to make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.
A farm division of Stallion Conglomerate, Popular Farms and Mills Limited produces premium varieties of rice from locally farmed paddy, currently branded and marketed nationwide as Royal Stallion Shinkafa, Tomato Aroso and Super Champion.
The company has also established collection centres across rice producing states in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi to not only help farmers embrace modern farming techniques but also focus on distributing farm inputs through farmers cooperatives and associations to ensure rice revolution in Nigeria.
The agrarian establishment however promises to safeguard timely provision of certified seeds, fertilizers, advisory irrigation and crop management as well as buys back mechanism to help farmers get good and profitable yields especially during harvest.
IBCA – Outstanding Projects and Business Leaders of the Year Award is an initiative of Inside Business Magazine in recognition of remarkable contributions to economic growth and sustainable development.
Former Economic Summit Chairman and Chief Executive Inside Business Magazine, Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa who presented the award congratulated Popular Farms and Mills for displaying demonstrative commitment towards Federal Government’s concerted agenda in rice production, saying “You have not only supported the country’s agrarian objective for self-sufficiency in rice production but also worked tirelessly with local governments to ensure food security.”