An Enugu-based rice farmer, Mr Ekene Uzodinma, says that Nigerian rice should be patronised above its foreign substitute because of its nutritional quality.
Uzodinma, who is the Manager of Excellent Integrated Farms Ltd, said this in an interview with the Newsmen in Enugu on Tuesday. He said that Nigerian rice had the capacity to stay fresh and intact about 24 hours after being cooked. He said that with its special quality and attribute, local rice remained a must subscribe for food vendors and eateries.
“It is a known fact that Nigerian rice lasts twice longer than foreign when cooked and it is tastier, more nutritious and satisfying. As a rice farmer for years now and my wife a caterer, we have clearly experimented on this. When you cook the local rice and allow it to cool and dish it in an air tight cooler or container, it will remain in its original state for about 24 hours,’’ he said.
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Uzodinma, however, frowned at the lack of standard in quantity measure for local rice, adding that middlemen in the open market usually tamper with the measure of the bags.
“By so doing, they short-change Nigerians by some kilogrammes even in local bags,’’ Uzodinma said.
The farmer also urged local rice farmers to always patronise standard rice mills to get the best quality of finished product.
“Standard mills give quality rice grains that are devoid of addictive that bleaches the colour of the rice grain from brown or gold to white or water colour.
“When this addictive, like alum, is added during the milling process the rice grains become white or water colour instead of brown or golden.
“This type of rice will sure turn to paste and the grains sticking together when cooked.
“It will last few hours and get spoilt and become marshy, if not consumed,’’ Uzodinma said. Nigerian rice had been adjudged to be one of the best qualities of rice in the World. The country’s jollof rice has been adjudged one of the best delicacies in Africa.
