Nalgonda parboiled rice mills in crisis

Nalgonda: The Central government decision not to buy parboiled rice pushed thepar boiled rice mills into troubled waters and questioning their existence.

Parboiled rice mills have been established in the erstwhile Nalgonda district almost a decade ago to cater the needs of the country. Nalgonda district set Asian record by setting up highest number of parboiled rice mills under custom rice milling process.

The sudden decision of the Central government to not to buy parboiled rice has not only created troubles for farmers, but it made both rice mills and thousands of workers working in the mills to worry about their future.

The owners of parboiled mills said that it will be very expensive for them to update their machinery and noted that time has come to shut their mills due to the Centre's decision.

There are about 250 mills in the erstwhile Nalgonda district and of them 210 are parboiled rice mills. Nalgonda district has 130 mills, including 110 parboiled; Suryapet district has 83 mills including 66 parboiled; whereas Yadadri-Bhongir district has 37 mills of which 33 are parboiled. These mills were located in Miryalaguda, Chityal, Huzurnagar, Nereducherla, Suryapet, Halia, Kodad, Nakrekal, Garidepally and Bhongir in the erstwhile Nalgonda district.

Nalgonda district gets 11,03,421 MT of rice against paddy cultivation in 1,84,576 hectares.

In Suryapet district, 11,26,858 MT yield against the cultivation in 1,87,808 hectares. In Yadadri-Bhongir district, 7,08,500 MT of rice yield will come from the cultivation in 1,12,800 hectares. Total 29 lakh MT boiled rice will come from the district every year.

Millers emphasised the need of parboiled rice mills to avoid broken rice while milling paddy that was cultivated in Yasangi season.

Nalgonda district Rice Millers Association president Yadagiri speaking to The Hans India, said that it is tough to run parboiled rice mills if the Centre puts a ban on collecting boiled rice from the State.

All rice mills in the district will be forced to shut if the Centre confines to take raw rice only, he added. Stating that about 60 to 100 workers of each mill will lose employment if parboiled rice mills shut down with the Centres' decision, Yadagiri urged the Central government to procure boiled rice and allow for exports to save the rice mills from the crisis.