Ap To Lift Curbs On Rice Movement

The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to remove all curbs on inter-regional and inter-state movement of rice with immediate effect. Export cess on rice has also been slashed from the existing Rs 100 a tonne to only Rs 10.

The decision follows a bumper paddy crop in the state this year and complaints from millers and farmers that they were unable to find a market for the same. Millers have lately stopped buying rice from the farmers on a cash down basis. The decision to remove the restrictions was announced by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu while addressing the first Karshak Vignana Vedika (farmers convention) at Rajahmundry on Tuesday.

 

Naidu said, this year the paddy production has gone up by 27 per cent over last years production. Farmers will now be free to send rice to any part of the country or export it out of the country.

It is learnt that rice procurement for the public distribution system and the central pool has also registered a record 39 lakh tonnes this year against the usual 30 lakh tonnes. Reports state that barring Maharashtra, all the other rice consuming states had surplus paddy this year. Removal of restrictions on inter-state movement will not hit the domestic consumers adversely, on the other hand, it will ensure remunerative price to the farmers.

There is no official restriction on rice movement since the entire country is a single food zone. However, some sort of an unofficial check on the movement was being maintained all these years, to ensure that the levy quota fixed for the state is fulfilled and also to maintain a reasonable price for the consumers.