Hyderabad: All rice millers are not black sheep

Hyderabad: Are millers from Nalgonda, Suryapet and other bordering districts with the State of Andhra Pradesh are making profits by procuring paddy from the farmers at prices less than the Minimum Support Price (MSP)? Expressing anguish over allegations, an office-bearer of Telangana Rice Millers Association said, "Black sheep are everywhere.

The issue of broken rice and par-boiled rice will remain an issue even for the next year and so on. Unless the real issues at hand are addressed and resolved, there is no way to arrive at a conclusion to this problem."

Early on, the issue had been discussed in a meeting of rice millers convened by the Telangana government where the majority of millers had expressed their inability to invest in technology for making fortified rice kernels (FRK). "The rice millers sought a guaranteed procurement and concessions to recover their investment. But, there is no word from the government till now," he added.

Further, the millers need guaranteed procurement of the broken rice from the government side. In turn, the same could be supplied to meet the industrial and other requirements in which the broken rice is used. Secondly, encouraging the food processing industry in line with the crop being cultivated in Telangana would also resolve the issue in the long run than harping on the production of parboiled rice, which is not much in demand.

When asked the specific question about procuring paddy from the distressed farmers at lower prices, "No one is interested to speak about it out openly. But, when there are such opportunities left open, there are millers who make use of it," he said.

During the last agriculture season, there was a sudden spurt in demand for rice following a drastic fall in the production in countries like Thailand and Vietnam.

It helped the rice exporters from the Andhra Pradesh to start exporting rice from Kakinada port. To meet the demand, rice was also procured from Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Procuring paddy at a lesser price and supplying the milled rice to the exporters will definitely fetch profit on both ends, he pointed.

The intervention of the State will reduce total dependency for procurement on Food Corporation of India. Further, the Farmers Producer Organisations can also obtain export licences. But, all these require the much-needed push either from the State or Central governments, he said.