Zero levy policy will shoot rice prices: Millers

Hyderabad: The price of rice will shoot up by Rs 100 next year and will peak further if the government centralises the concept of plural corporate management, said South India Rice Mill Leader Devender Reddy.

Addressing a dharna organised by Telangana Rice Millers on Thursday, Reddy alleged that with a view to zero levy policies, the government intends to get into the hands of exporters due to which the rates of pulses and other commodities would sky rocket.

He added that government collects taxes to the tune of Rs 1,000 crore on rice mills but it would be diminished if zero levy policy was implemented.

The Telangana Rice Millers Association for the first time staged a huge dharna demanding State and Centre to increase the custom milling charges to Rs 75 per quintal of paddy for raw rice and Rs 100 for boiled rice; restoring the levy procurement policy of 75 per cent crop; test milling of paddy to be conducted at rice mills and VAT to be reduced from 5 per cent to 1 per cent in case of superfine varieties.

While speaking at the dharna TDP MLA Errabelli Dayakar Rao advised protesting millers to continue the protest in Delhi as it was not only the problem of Telangana but the whole country.

CPI leader Chada Venkat Reddy lamented on the downfall faced by the rice mill industry which not only affect the survival of millers but also the people who depend on this industry such as farmers, labourers, etc.

CPI State leader Julakanti Ranga Reddy stated that lakh rice millers across the country would participate in a protest likely on November 10.