Thiruvananthapuram: The Consumerfed has formed a consortium of primary cooperatives with a capital of Rs 100 crore to bring rice from Bengal. It has already brought 800 metric tonnes of Suvarna rice from Bengal. Another 1,700 metric tonnes will be brought on March 10.
The rice will be distributed from Monday through primary cooperatives, Consumerfed and selected Thriveni stores. The primary cooperatives will incur a loss of Rs 2 per kg as the price is fixed at Rs 25 per kg while the procurement price is Rs 27.
Cooperation Minister Kadakampally Surendran told reporters here on Saturday that the areas having predominant Adivasi and fishermen population were given priority for the distribution.
Each society will be given 1.5 metric tonnes of rice before Monday and 3.5 metric tonnes before March 10. The system will continue till the market price of rice is regulated, Mr Surendran said.
One family would get five kg of rice in the first week and ten kg in the second week. The following is the district-wise list of primary cooperatives selected for the project.
Thiruvananthapuram-40, Ernakulam-40, Kozhikode-40, Kannur-40, Palakkad-40, Thrissur-40, Kollam-40, Malappuram-30, Alappuzha-30, Pathanamthitta-30, Kottayam-30, Wayanad-30 and Kasargod-30.
