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Technological Capabilities of Rice Processors in Enugu State, Nigeria
Nwobodo, Cynthia Ebere
Innih, Celestina Dupe
Dimelu, Mabel Ukamaka
Abstract
The study assessed the technological capability of rice processors in Enugu State, Nigeria. Multi-stage sampling procedure was used in selecting 120 respondents across two town communities in two local governments of agricultural zones. Frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the data collected. Findings showed that 88.3% of parboilers were aware of maintaining hygienic conditions and 58.3% practice. While 100.0% knew that they should wash/dewater paddy till wash water is colourless, only 33.3% practised. The majority (80.0%)of millers were aware that operational cost is reduced by ensuring that paddy is at 1%impurity rate but only 20.0% practised. Only 15% of millers owned de-stoning machines and offered the service. A minority (31.7%) of millers package milled rice while only 1.7% practised size sorting, buffering, and polishing of milled rice. This implied that rice processing in Enugu State is still at the basic
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processing level of parboiling, drying, milling, and bagging; revealing the need for training and capacity building on value-addition processing such as de-stoning, size sorting, polishing, and buffering which will place domestic rice at par with foreign rice. The reason for the high disparity between awareness and practice is a gap for extension workers to explore and address.
