The State Rice Millers Association members are upset at the FCI’s hostility towards them for putting queries to every petty issue. The fortified rice supplied three months ago was refused by the Food Corporation of India (FCI) now citing the low quality of kernels. Nearly 13 lakh tonnes of rice stocked in godowns was not lifted and transported to other states. Of it, there are 11 lakh tonnes of raw rice.
Association president, Gampa Nagender said though they were milling and supplying rice even after paddy production increased manifold, the FCI is hostile towards them. The corporation that sent 180 wagons to lift paddy from the state last month, sent only just 80 wagons this month. “It is very sad to label the rice millers as thieves. With instructions from CM KCR and Minister G Kamalakar, they bought the rain-soaked paddy only to help the beleaguered farmers. This resulted in a loss of 10 kg of rice per every quintal to the millers,” he said.
With the wrong attitude of the FCI, a total of 1.10 crore tonnes of rice stocks got piled up. As there is no space in the rice mills, they were forced to hire private godowns to store the same. “We are worried as there will be a new harvest of paddy from October,” he said stating that rice millers are always ready to cooperate with the state and central governments.
By Gollapudi Srinivasa Rao