NCPB Plans to Build New Rice Mill in Kisumu

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) plans to build a new rice mill in Kisumu this fiscal year to help farmers who have been suffering from inadequate milling services for a long time.

The mill, which will be located within its warehouses on Kisumu’s Nkurumah Road, would have the ability to process 2.5 tonnes of rice paddy per hour (TPH), according to the statement.

“Consequently, we are seeking proposals from qualified contractors for the design, supply, and installation of a 2.5TPH rice mill of European make,” NCPB said.

“The rice mill will be installed in an existing store and the bidder will need to make improvements to the store, including but not limited to painting, upgrading the surrounding compound, floor repairs, partitioning, and creating some office spaces” it added.

The NCPB mill will likely complement two others in the lakeside city that are managed by the Lake Basin Development Authority (LBDA).

Thousands of farmers from Ahero (Kisumu County), Nyatike (Migori County), and Bunyala would benefit from the Sh65 million rice milling machine that the state-owned LBDA plans to construct in Kisumu in 2021.

It will supplement an existing plant and have a capacity of 3.5 tonnes of paddy rice per hour. (Busia County).

Between 35,000 and 50,000 tonnes of rice are produced annually in Kenya, leaving a shortage that requires the country to import more than 70% of its needs.

Kenya imports at least 80% of all the rice consumed locally to make up for the enormous output shortage, with traders and millers paying a tariff of 35% on imported goods.

Kenyans import a sizable portion of the rice they eat from Pakistan.

Kenya is a major importer of rice in the East African region, according to the high commission for Pakistan, which recently stated that they are eager to boost the amounts that arrive there.

The country produces 80% of its rice through the Mwea irrigation program, which is important for the country’s food supply because it depends on imports to close its trade gap.

It produces 150,000 tonnes annually, resulting in a 250,000-tonne shortfall that is filled by imports.

The Ministry of Agriculture claims that cheaper imports are first sold at low rates before being combined with Mwea Aromatic Pishori rice to be sold as pishori variety at a lower price, hence reducing demand for the original type that Mwea is known for.

The activity should be prohibited, according to the Rice Promotion Programme Unit of the Agriculture Ministry, and anyone found engaging in the illegal business should be detained and prosecuted.

As it works to reduce cheap imports that have frequently harmed local rice producers, the country is making additional acreage available for the crop.

For instance, the National Irrigation Authority is encouraging the growing of rice in areas where it has never been practiced, particularly with the introduction of rice varieties that do not require flooding. (irrigation).

This year, the National Irrigation Authority opened the Sh8.2 billion Thiba Dam in Kirinyaga County to increase the amount of land that the Mwea Irrigation Scheme could cover with rice.

The dam would significantly increase local production at the Mwea Irrigation Scheme by putting an additional 10,000 acres of rice under cultivation on top of the existing 25,000 acres.