Authorities in Northern Bahr al-Ghazal State say they have agreed with the farmers’ union to start ploughing the Aweil Rice Scheme next month.

The union had complained of poor management of the scheme and cited a delay in starting the cultivation last year.

Workers at the scheme are supplied by the union.

Government officials met with farmers and managers of the scheme yesterday to decide how to increase production this year.

“The farmers will start ploughing during this month of April,” said Garang Tong, managing director of Aweil rice scheme.

For his part, the Minister of Agriculture, Lual Dau Marach, urged the management of the scheme and the farmers union to cooperate and increase production this year.

Aweil Rice Scheme is the biggest rice farm in the country so far.

It is about 11,000 fedans but only 3,000 were cultivated last year.