Telangana: Farmers, Rice Millers Urge Govt. To Lift Restrictions

Warangal/Karimnagar: After initial glitches, paddy procurement has gained momentum at various Paddy Purchasing Centres (PPCs) established by the state government in Warangal and Karimnagar districts.

Approximately 900 PPCs have been set up in the former Warangal district, while 1,200 centres are operational in Karimnagar. Agencies such as Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS), Indira Kranthi Patham (IKP), and Farmers Producer Organisations (FPO) are purchasing paddy on behalf of the government.

Special officers appointed by the government have been instructed to expedite the paddy procurement process for farmers, with millers expected to lift the paddy from PPCs promptly.

G. Kanakaiah, a farmer from Narsampet, shared with Deccan Chronicle that many farmers opt to sell their premium rice to private buyers due to government restrictions on moisture levels and rice categorisation. Additionally, farmers face concerns over potential rainfall and endure long waits for payments.

T. Raja Shekar, secretary of the Jagtial Agriculture Market Committee, stated that although e-NAAM bidding has been halted due to technical issues, officials are purchasing paddy by manually recording details to avoid inconvenience for farmers.

Based on previous experiences, the government has introduced a new system requiring millers to provide bank guarantees to prevent stock diversion from rice mills. However, millers opposed to this requirement.

A rice miller told Deccan Chronicle that it is unfair to demand bank guarantees, as millers encounter numerous challenges, from collecting paddy from PPCs to completing the milling process. He urged the government to reconsider and rescind the policy.