The Union Government has agreed to extend the deadline for Telangana to deliver the custom-milled rice from the 2022-23 kharif marketing season till November 30, 2023. The State was given time till September 30 for the delivery of the CMR milled from both the kharif and rabi seasons in the last agricultural season.
The Centre has directed the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to closely monitor the remainder of the CMR deliveries mill-wise and get written assurances from the State agencies in writing on the delivery schedules.
The FCI also asked the State Government to hold back the paddy arrivals from the current kharif season and not to go for its milling and CMR delivery till the delivery of the 2022-23 stocks is completed.
With paddy stocks of over 30 lakh tonnes lying unmilled, the State wrote a letter to the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies last week, appealing it to extend the CMR delivery deadline till December 31.
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The Ministry, however, extended the deadline by two months and asked the State Government to check the recycling of rice, if any. (Recycling of rice is malpractice by certain millers that pull back the public distribution system rice into the supply chain and pass it on as freshly milled rice and deliver it to the FCI.)
In its September latest directive, the Centre also wanted the FCI to conduct an ‘age test’ for the lots as the CMR is delivered to check against the recycling of the rice.
Increase milling capacities: Centre
While extending the deadline till November 30, the Centre has reiterated its advice to the State to increase its milling capacities.
Though the production of rice increased 4-5 times in the last three to four years, there is no proportionate increase in Telangana’s milling capacities. With the State defaulting on its targets every season and pressing for an extension of the deadlines for delivery of CMR rice, the Centre wanted the State to consider increasing the milling capacities.