The Minister of Trade and Industry, François Kanimba, has issued new guidelines on milling and trading of rice.The directive, which affects rice farmers, processors, importers, distributors/wholesalers and retailers, was issued this week, following a meeting with rice-growing cooperatives in Busoro Sector in Nyanza District. "Seventy per cent of rice consumed in Rwanda is produced locally while 30 per cent is imported. The instructions aim at properly regulating the distribution channels for locally produced and imported rice in order to ensure fair competition and value for money to the consumers,” Kanimba said in a statement. According to the new instructions, it is envisaged that rice-growing cooperatives shall only be authorised to sell and distribute their produce to registered millers.The rice (growing) cooperatives shall have to enter into a written supply contract with a processing plant, the statement added.To assist farmers to increase production and maintain infrastructure related to rice growing, the Minister noted that any person seeking authorisation to establish a rice milling firm should provide, among others, a list of cooperatives to supply the produce. According to the minister, 40 per cent of the proceeds from processed rice shall go to the rice miller with the rest belonging to the cooperatives.In addition, rice millers shall be required to pack rice in two, five, 25 and 50 kilogrammes bags to avert illegal re-packaging.The instructions further stipulate that rice millers and importers have to check if the labelling on the bags reflects the correct grades.