Uttam urges Centre to revise paddy procurement norms

metro india news  I hyderabad

Telangana Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy has urged the Union Government to take immediate corrective measures to address the growing mismatch between the state’s rising paddy production and declining procurement allocations by the Centre.

In a detailed letter addressed to Union Food Minister Prahlad Joshi, the Minister outlined three key demands aimed at safeguarding farmers’ interests and easing the financial burden on the state.

Highlighting the surge in paddy output following improved irrigation and farmer focused policies, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana is facing serious challenges in managing excess stocks due to reduced allocation of boiled rice and Custom Milled Rice by the Centre.

The Minister’s first demand is the reallocation of 5 lakh metric tonnes of boiled rice target for Rabi 2024 to 25 by proportionately reducing the Food Corporation of India raw rice target. He noted that about 8.45 lakh metric tonnes of rice are still pending delivery, and the earlier deadline has already lapsed. The state has sought a 60 day extension to complete deliveries.

Secondly, he requested a substantial enhancement of the boiled rice target for the Kharif Marketing Season 2025 to 26 from the existing 20 lakh metric tonnes to 40 lakh metric tonnes. He pointed out that Telangana paddy is more suitable for parboiling due to its lower moisture content and superior grain quality. Rice millers have also agreed to supply boiled rice with only 5 percent brokens, making it a viable alternative.

Thirdly, the Minister sought an additional two month extension for Rabi 2024 to 25 deliveries, citing pending physical verification of Kharif stocks and the need for additional milling time.

Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that Telangana procures paddy on behalf of the Centre under the Decentralised Procurement Scheme to ensure Minimum Support Price for farmers and prevent distress sales. However, the reduction in procurement targets has resulted in mounting storage, milling and financial costs for the state.

He warned that without timely intervention and enhanced allocation support, the state will face increasing difficulty in sustaining procurement operations and protecting lakhs of farmers. The Minister urged the Centre to consider the requests positively and respond at the earliest.