Rwamagana rice processing plant is set to be re-opened at the end of the current rice season in Junefive years after closing due to disagreements by farmers.

Managed by Australian investor ICM-Rwanda, the plant wanted only the long grain rice variety yet Rwamagana mainly grows short grain (kigori).

The management of the plant and farmers had also disagreed on prices something that led to the closure of the plant.

Rwamagana District Mayor, Radjab Mbonyumuvunyi, told Sunday Times that they held talks with the investor, who also has shares in Gikonko Rice and Bugarama Rice, to sort the problems out and reopen.

"I invited him (the ICM-Rwanda proprietor) in my office many times, we talked, then we said, short grain is okay, but added that the farmers should increase the supply of long grain as well, since it is the most popular on the market,” he said.

Théogène Uwizeye, president of Twibumbe, a Union of rice farmers’ cooperatives in Rwamagana District, said they did not agree with the prices set by the plant, since they were lower than those set by the Government.

Ahead of the harvest season, the Ministries of Agriculture and Trade, federation of farmers and the forum of industrialists work together to set prices to calculate the costs of production and the profits for both the farmers and industry.

Rice is grown in two seasons; from January to June, and June to December. For instance, during the June 2018 rice harvest season, the average price of paddy rice was between Rwf275 a kilo.

"When the farmers asked the established prices, the plant refused it, because they were used to a way of approaching the farmers and paying smaller amounts,” Uwizeye claimed.

The union is comprised of six cooperatives from Rwamagana, one from Kayonza and four from Ngoma District with more than 3,000 farmers.

However, when the talks started bearing fruit, and the plant was ready to pay the normal prices and buy the short grain variety, the plant required a quantity that Rwamagana farmers could not supply at the time.

For the plant to reopen last year, they needed 6,000 metric tonnes of paddy rice every year, 3,000 every season, while the union was producing around 2,000 every season.

Mbonyumuvunyi says that the quantity of produce dropped last year due to the ongoing upgrading works on three valley dams (Kimpima, Bugugu & Gashara) and their canals to the rice farms in Cyaruhogo valley located in sectors of Kigabiro, Mwulire and Rubona in Rwamagana.

Once completed, in addition to a marshland newly introduced to rice farming in Rugende along the frontiers of City of Kigali districts, the rice produce is expected to satisfy the demand of rice in Rwamagana.

Uwizeye told Sunday Times: "We have prepared the seeds, we are in farms planting, the owner of the plant has promised that he will send us an agronomist, who will be monitoring our farming, and the progress is good”.

The main benefit of having the plant work closely with the farmers is that it costs less during processing of the rice for consumption.

The union also says that since the Rwamagana plant was closed, they haven’t had a consistent market over the last five years; not being so sure if those who bought in one harvesting season would come back the next season.

None of the provisional clients also provided inputs like seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, among others, and this problem is going to be solved.

Uwizeye also explained that it would be good for Rwamagana residents to buy the rice grown in their district, most likely at even a lower cost.

To implement a 2012 Cabinet resolution that government’s shares in rice processing plants be handed to farmers, there are ongoing discussions about how the Rwamagana farmers’ union will have shares in the plant.

The ICM-Rwanda has 60 percent of shares, while Government has 40 percent.

The union president reflected: "It will be helpful for us once we get shares, prices would be agreed upon more easily, the profits would increase too.”

Considering how rice has been grown in Rwamagana’s marshlands since mid-1970s, Innocent Ukizuru, Director of Agriculture in Rwamagana District, said that the plant was established more than three decades ago.

Rice is grown on 600 hectares in the district.

Rwamagana Rice, the rice processing plant located in Rwamagana District that has been closed for five years.