Millers in a fix over civil supplies dissatisfaction on custom milled rice

Nellore: Rice millers are in a fix over the civil supplies department ruling against acceptance of rice milled from the paddy supplied by the same department. They say the grains were dis-coloured. Attributing this to the unseasonal and incessant rain twice in the second crop season, millers said the downpour created problems to both farmers and rice millers.

Rice millers say the district officials, in a bid to help farmers, prevailed upon the millers to accept heavy intake of paddy with higher moisture content, unmindful of the milling capacities and dryers.

There are instances wherein such paddy was kept for 2 to 3 days without drying. The delay resulted in slight discolouring of rice after the milling.

“Technical officials of the civil supplies wing have been paying special attention to detect this minute fraction through magnified lens that are attached with focus lights and rejecting even those with slightest discolouring. This, though there is not even the slightest trace in the rice after cooking,” alleged a rice miller.

President of the rice millers and dealers association, Nagireddy Subhramanyam said they have been requesting the technical people to come and guide the millers to prepare the CMR (custom milled rice) as per their specifications.

“In this connection, the millers are requesting district officials to send only the FAQ (Fair Average Quality) paddy to the mills under CMR. Paddy being an agri-produce, it can’t be viewed like industrial products. The quality of agri-produce changes from soil to soil and it also depends on climatic conditions.”

“We have been requesting the government to provide the farmers with the paddy seeds that are more suitable to the climatic and other conditions prevailing in this district as in the case of other districts. Also, provide farmers with necessary mechanical aid to prepare FAQ paddy,” Subhramanyam urged the government.

He requested the authorities to clarify the reasons for allowing the moisture in paddy up to 17 per cent while for rice at 14 per cent. “The difference of 3 per cent is what the miller has to balance, as it is a loss to the miller.”

He has also urged the government to purchase paddy directly from farmers and keep it stored in the government godown and subsequently offer this to the millers for milling under CMR process, as is done in Tamil Nadu and Punjab.

Meanwhile, joint collector Harendhira Prasad said that the civil supplies corporation and FCI would accept rice supplied by the millers only if it is as per FAQ (Fair Average Quality) standards. The quality of paddy was good this season and dry days were more than the rainy days, compared to the last season,” he said.

“They have to use Sortex machine which will segregate grains and dark grains,” he said.