Curtains have come down on the fate of huge paddy stocks of two seasons (rabi 2020-21) and kharif (2021-22) at nearly 3,300 rice mills in the State as the Centre has permitted their custom milling and delivery to the Food Corporation of India by August 31.
The question was now about the rabi production of 2021-22 over which the State has not taken a view. There was a standoff on rice procurement from rabi of 2021-22 as the State insisted with the Centre to procure boiled rice because the targeted 67 per cent of raw rice per quintal was difficult to yield during the season due to higher temperatures. But, the Centre was reluctant to take delivery as it had excess boiled rice in its godowns to meet the country’s requirements.
As one last chance, the Centre agreed to procure boiled rice of rabi 2020-21 after the State government gave an undertaking that it will no longer deliver this rice in future. The State government had procured 92.34 lakh tonnes of paddy from farmers in the rabi of 2020-21. And at 67 per cent yield, it was supposed to deliver 62.59 lakh tonnes of rice but met only 58.92 lakh tonnes after jumping several deadlines. Finally, as much as 3.67 lakh tonnes was pending till last June 30 when the Centre abruptly stopped procurement from the State after noticing various irregularities.
When the procurement resumed on July 20, the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution System agreed to purchase the 3.67 lakh tonnes as also raw rice of kharif 2021-22 with a final deadline of August 31.
The State government had delivered 21.71 lakh tonnes of raw rice while the pendency was 25.32 lakh tonnes out of the expected yield of 47.03 lakh tonnes in kharif of 2021-22. Effectively, the government has to move 29 lakh tonnes of raw and boiled rice of both seasons till August 31. The Centre insisted that the delivery and accounts pertaining to the two seasons be done separately.
As regards rabi of 2021-22, a quantity of 50.67 lakh tonnes of paddy procured by the State was lying in rice mills. The government has not taken a decision on how to proceed with this stock after having constituted a committee headed by the Chief Secretary to determine the head rice and broken rice in rabi production which was hit by high temperatures.
The test milling of rice to decide the percentage of broken rice for the purpose of compensating the millers due to shortage in meeting the targeted 67 per cent yield was still in progress. Hence, these stocks were lying idle at mills and exposed to rain.
It was estimated that about 15 lakh tonnes of paddy was stored under covers outside the mills. Of this, the civil supplies department has sought permission of the government to sell ten lakh tonnes by e-tender. The millers have come to the conclusion that the paddy soaked in rain water was unfit for production of rice and wanted it to be disposed of as boiled rice by e-tenders.
