Today’s Top Rice News: Paddy Output Shrinks, a rice miller meets Minister Joshi
By Megha Bajaj
Top Rice News 1: B.K. Deva Rao Selected for Inaugural Raithapeetha Award for Preserving 200+ Traditional Paddy Varieties
B. K. Deva Rao is an 80-year-old rice conservator from Mittabagilu in Belthangady taluk (Dakshina Kannada, Karnataka). Interestingly, he has been selected for the inaugural Raithapeetha Award for his outstanding effort in preserving more than 200 rare traditional paddy varieties despite declining paddy cultivation in the region. Agri-entrepreneur Ramakrishna Achar instituted the award, which includes a ₹1 lakh prize. Significantly, it intends to honour and encourage agricultural work. Notably, the presentation ceremony is scheduled for 20 February at Gaudhama Farm, Muniyal, Karkala taluk, with agricultural awareness programmes held alongside the event.
Top Rice News 2: Kerala’s Paddy Output Shrinks Amid Falling Acreage and Rising Costs
Kerala’s paddy output and cultivation area are declining sharply despite rice being the staple food of the state. Several factors are behind them, including rising input costs and farmers shifting to non-paddy uses, moreover, leading to land conversion and less attractive returns. Whereas, the state provides incentives such as Minimum Support Price (MSP), a bonus and various other supports to encourage paddy farming. In addition, the area under cultivation has dropped from about 7.93 lakh ha in 1979-80 to nearly 1.80 lakh ha in 2023-24, and productivity has dipped slightly. Notably, the Union Finance Ministry’s suggestion to scrap the bonus has triggered the political pushback in Kerala. Not only this, but also the government and opposition opposed the move as it could exacerbate the shrinking paddy sector.
Top Rice News 3: India Self-Reliant in Rice and Wheat, Shifts Focus to Food, Energy and Water Security
According to recent updates, India has become self-reliant in staple grains such as rice and wheat, along with strong production and buffer stocks supporting the food security, the government told Parliament. Since these core goals met, policymakers are now shifting their attention toward a more balanced approach that also focuses on energy and water security, recognising the need to manage resources sustainably while maintaining food availability.
Top Rice News 4: Punjab Rice Millers Flag Storage Crunch, Seek Centre’s Intervention in Meeting with Prahlad Joshi
A delegation of rice millers from Punjab met Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Distribution Prahlad Joshi in New Delhi to raise pressing industry issues, especially the severe shortage of storage space for rice in Punjab. He urged the government to increase the monthly rice movement from the state to ease the crunch. Furthermore, they also flagged delays in the supply of fortified rice Kernels (FRK) that hinder milling, and called for AI-based grain analysers in warehouses to enhance quality checks. Rice Millers condemned the Food Corporation of India’s Chandigarh office for alleged irregularities in rice transportation allocations, leading to unreimbursed freight costs.