Karonga’ s rice milling plant opens in 2 weeks

Greenbelt Authority infrastructure development manager Synoden Kautsi says a rice milling and processing plant at Nthola Ilola Irrigation Scheme in Karonga is set to start operating in two weeks.

Speaking in an interview on Friday, he said construction works at the plant have been completed.

Kautsi said Electricity Supply Corporation of Malawi gave a list of required materials for them to connect electricity and the authority has already engaged an electrical consultant.

He said: “The facility is now at 99 percent completion rate and we are just waiting for electricity connection.

“The facility will also have its own transformer and once these are brought in by Escom, the plant will be operational within two weeks.”

Kautsi said once fully operational, the plant will be able to mill 50 tonnes of rice per day. He added that the scheme will employ 100 workers and that 2 500 anchor and out-grower farmers are expected to benefit from the plant.

Sub-Traditional Authority Mwangolera commended the authority for the plant, saying it will improve people’s livelihoods.

“This is the first project of its kind in the Northern Region. I am pleased that people will be employed at the factory and farmers around the scheme will have a place to process their rice,” he said.

Nthola Ilola Water Users Association chairperson Oswald Gondwe said for a long time they have been processing their rice manually.

Construction of the K773 million rice milling and processing plant began in May 2022.