The Telangana government’s move to supply superfine rice to ration card holders has brought happiness. On the contrary, the move is turning into a major headache for officials when it comes to managing the existing coarse rice stocks. As per official estimates, nearly 1.4 lakh metric tonnes of coarse rice are rotting in godowns in the state.
To resolve to issue swiftly, the Consumer Affairs, Food and Civil Supplies department on September 9 issued GO 14, prescribing a disposal price of Rs 24 per kg for the stocks. The aggregate value of the existing inventory is estimated to be Rs.336 crore at this rate. Officials outlined that the notified price is significantly lower than the usual market rate of nearly Rs 36 per kg. However, there have been no buyers till now.
Superfine Rice distribution causes stagnation of coarse rice stock
The superfine rice distribution in March this year caused an abrupt stagnation of coarse rice stock. As the new variety was introduced, warehouses and fair price shops already got substantial quantities of coarse rice. According to officials and Stakeholders, the decision on disposal should have been taken earlier to prevent the prolonged storage. In addition, as per field reports, the stocks have been touched for around eight to nine months, along with some consignments indicating signs of spoilage and pest infestation. However, the disposal process has not been taken ahead.
Officials who know about the matter cited that the department is exploring options to curb further loss, but any concrete mechanism has yet to be announced.
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