Hyderabad: Telangana has taken a big step towards selling its rice in international markets. On Monday, State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that the state had exported its first shipment of rice to the Philippines.
Speaking to the media after sending off the shipment at Kakinada Port, the minister said that 12,500 metric tonnes of rice had been sent out earlier in the day. He called it an important moment for the state’s farmers and the agriculture sector.
Reddy explained that Telangana has become one of the top rice-producing states in India. This is because of the state’s good soil, climate, and the support provided by the Congress government. He said farmers mainly grow paddy, and the production has been growing every year. This year, the state produced about 280 lakh metric tonnes, which is more than what is needed for Telangana and even for the central government.
The minister said that buying this extra rice from farmers costs the state a lot of money. Also, delays in getting money back from the central government and the Food Corporation of India (FCI) have added to the state’s financial troubles. He said, “We found a good opportunity with the Philippines, which showed interest in our rice after testing its quality.”
Many discussions were held between Telangana and the Philippines. After testing the rice samples, the Philippines agreed to buy 1 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice and 8 LMTs of paddy. A formal agreement was signed between the Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (TGSCSCL) and Planters Products Inc., which is linked to the Philippines government.
The agreement says that the rice exported will be of the IR64/MTU1010 variety. It will be well-milled, polished, and of sortex quality with only five per cent broken grains. The final price for export was set at Rs 36,000 per metric tonne.
