Rice mills in Tiruchi district have received an order from the State government for supply of 4,500 metric tonnes of rice to be sent to Sri Lanka, which faces a severe shortage of essential commodities due to economic crisis.
According to sources, the State government plans to procure 40,000 metric tonnes of rice so as to send it along with other relief materials to the island nation. Depending upon the production capacity and quality, orders have been placed to mills in different parts of the State. Of this, five mills in Tiruchi have been asked to send 4,500 metric tonnes at a cost of Rs.32 per kg of “A” grade rice. They charge Rs.1.5 per kg to deliver the consignment either to Chennai or Tuticorin.
Upon receiving the orders, the mills have been working overtime to fulfil the commitment. ADT 43 and ADT-43 varieties of rice are being sent. About 1,000 metric tonnes of rice had already been sent to the harbour in Chennai from Tiruchi.
“Though the rate is low, we have taken up the order as we want to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the State government, which has risen up to the occasion in helping the people of Sri Lanka. We fully adhere to the quality norms stipulated by the State government. We check and double check the quality of rice before packing,” says M. Chinnasamy, president, Tiruchi District Rice Mill Owners Association.
It is said that the Regional Manager of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) and the Manager of Quality Control had been tasked to ensure quality of rice being procured.
While confirming the order placed to the mills in Tiruchi, a senior official of the TNCSC told The Hindu that all aspects of quality were checked before packing rice. If rice contained ‘chalky white’, blacks or broken rice, it would be summarily rejected.
He said that out of 4,500 metric tonnes of rice, 1,582 metric tonnes of rice had so far been sent to the harbours. The mills had been asked to expedite the process and fulfil the commitment as early as possible.
