Ogun Govt. Set to Sell Branded MITROS Rice

As part of measures at ensuring food security, the Ogun State Government is set to produce its first grains tagged MITROS rice.

The State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs. Adepeju Adebajo, disclosed this during a routine inspection to the first phase of rice harvested at Eggua, Yewa North.

Adebajo said the State has begun harvesting of 30ha out of the 100ha rice plantation and would be ready for distribution latest December, 2017 after all due processes had been followed.

In her words: “In fulfilling one of our objectives, we are set to produce MITROS rice. This rice is the best quality you can ask for because we provided the farmers with most improved variety of seedlings and it will be ready before the end of the year’’.

According to the Agric Commissioner, ‘’this will be the first phase of harvest, we will harvest others too. We will go through all necessary steps to ensure quality product, then we will package and brand it MITROS rice. Both our local Ofada and Nerica 8 will be available for consumers,” she said.

Speaking, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Agriculture, Mr. Tosin Ademuyiwa, advised the younger generation to take advantage of the opportunity, assuring that the next phase would be more mechanised as more farm machineries had approved for purchase.

“At Eggua rice farm in Yewa axis, rice will be harvested from 262 hectares of farmland while 110 hectares are at Onigbedu rice farm in Ogun Central.

“ Another 100 hectares of rice farm will be harvested at Iloti Ijebu within the next one month.

“The harvesting of rice will reduce the dependence of the state on imported rice and reduce its price in various markets, ” he said.

Ademuyiwa also said the state government was working hard to solve the problems associated with clearing of farmland by making land available for agricultural purpose. Government, he added, also promised to provide inputs and processing facilities for farmers to ease the challenges facing the sector.

Responding, a farmer, Olugbenga Popoola, acknowledged the State government’s support in the areas of land clearing, provision of seedlings, fertilizers and others, promising farmers’ willingness to do more in the next planting season.