Paddy procurement, now at a standstill following a decision by rice millers not to participate in the programme, is set to resume with Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation deciding to raise handling charges for rice millers to Rs.190 a quintal.
The decision to raise the handling charges was taken at a meeting of the rice millers with Minister for Civil Supplies Anoop Jacob, said a press release here. At present the handling charges is Rs.143 a quintal and the millers had demanded Rs.451 a quintal, the press release said.
The Civil Supplies Department had decided to set up a committee comprising rice millers, farm scientists and officials of Supplyco to study the problems confronting rice milling in the State.
The millers had also met Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on Saturday to discuss their problems and to present their views on the issue. The millers’ contention was that the handling charges had not been increased since 2012 even though milling and other costs had gone up substantially. The increase now is 32.8 per cent.
Ration dealers
Meanwhile, ration wholesale dealers have decided not to take delivery of the quota of matta rice for the month of November in protest against what they described as the “stubborn” attitude of Supplyco managing director “which is harming the interests of ration wholesale dealers. A press release from Kerala Ration Wholesale Distributors’ Federation here on Saturday said that they would march the headquarters of the cooperative on October 5 to register their protest.
The press release alleged the present managing director of the cooperative had discarded the demands made by the wholesale distributors though the Chief Minister and Minister for Civil Supplies had promised to consider their demands.
