In the coming years, the company plans to increase production capacities by at least 50 percent.
“The market potential is very high, as rice consumption amounts to some 100,000 tons annually in Romania. The local market will surely become consolidated in the coming two to three years and its value will increase,” said the company’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Maria Punga. She explained that, until recently, the rice market was “invaded” by low-quality imported products. However, Romania has very good conditions for rice production. “The rice produced in Romania is far better quality than that produced in Egypt,” Punga added.
The company has one production unit in Romania, with an annual capacity of 60,000 tons. “We plan to open a new rice processing factory in southern Romanian Olt County to optimize costs. We intend to cease importing rice derivate products from Italy and produce them here. We have already opened a factory in Bucharest, to produce rice cakes,” the company’s CFO added. So far, the company has invested some €25 million in Romania.
Main players on the local rice market are Riso Scotti, Atifco, Deroni, Sunshine, Mullers Mulle and Uncle Ben’s.
