State has sufficient rice stock for next 4 months

Tamil Nadu has a stock of 13.5 lakh tonnes of rice, sufficient to meet the requirements of the public distribution system for the next four months.

While the Food Corporation of India (FCI) has a stock of seven lakh tonnes in its godowns, the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has about 6.5 lakh tonnes. The monthly PDS requirement is 3.16 lakh tonnes.

The FCI gets approximately two lakh tonnes of boiled rice every month from Andhra Pradesh and 25,000 to 50,000 tonnes of raw rice from Punjab, said S.S. Bhatoa, the Corporation's Executive Director in-charge of southern States.

Traditionally, the people of Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts and north Chennai prefer raw rice. In other parts of the State, boiled rice is popular.

Swaran Singh, Principal Secretary (Food), says as against the monthly requirement of 3.16 lakh tonnes, the allotment to the State is around 2.96 lakh tonnes.

In the early part of this year, the monthly shortfall of around 20,000 tonnes was made good by purchasing 1.04 lakh tonnes from Andhra Pradesh at open market rate and the additional allotment of 1.48 lakh tonnes from the Centre.

In the wake of the Supreme Court's order on the distribution of rice at concessional rates, Tamil Nadu has been allotted 1.86 lakh tonnes. “We have started lifting the stock,” says Mr. Singh.

The rate for the latest allotment is Rs.5.65 per kg and it is meant for families belonging to Below Poverty Line (BPL) category.

Pointing out that 18.75 lakh tonnes of paddy was procured by the TNCSC during 2009-2010, he says the figure for the current year is likely to touch 20 lakh tonnes, given the bountiful rain during south-west monsoon and the projected normal rainfall during north-east monsoon.