KAKINADA: Kakinada district civil supplies department officials are conducting raids and noticing the stocks of PDS rice, which are transported from neighbouring states Odisha, Telangana and Karnataka.
Kakinada Port became the hub for export of PDS rice to other countries. Many allegations are being levelled on storing of PDS rice in godowns and other places. The civil supplies department officials are conducting raids on sortex plants, godowns and rice mills and seizing PDS stocks.
On Thursday, the officials inspected Shiva Jyoti Rice Mill in Pithapuram and noticed six tonnes of fortified kernels containing rice. The Rice Mill CMR stock records are being inspected.
Kakinada district authorities seized 910 metric tonnes of PDS rice in sortex plants and warehouses in Kakinada on Wednesday.
On March 22, 2026, Kakinada Joint Collector Apoorva Bharat seized 140 metric tonnes of PDS rice at Kakinada port.
State Civil Supplies Corporation Chairman Thota Sudheer and Kakinada District Civil Supply Officer (DSO) Rudraraju Satyanarayana Raju noted that 260 tonnes of PDS rice stock were in 10 lorries and 650 tonnes of stock were in plants.
The rice was found in Sortex Plant NDR Godown, Chitra Agri Exports, and Kovvuri Anand Reddy’s sortex plant.
The officials inquired of Anand Reddy and Sortex Mill Manager Srinivasa Rao. They informed the officials that the ‘‘Rice is being collected from neighbouring states of Telangana, Karnataka and Odisha at low prices. The stock was collected by local persons and bought in bulk to export foreign countries’’, they said.
Additionally, they found fortified rice kernels in boiled rice at a warehouse of Manasa Enterprises, Kakinada. It was collected by Satya Balaji and SR Trading companies for export through Kakinada Port. Therefore, notices were served to the company, stated DSO.
The situation shows that PDS rice exports continue unabated from Kakinada port for a long time. Following are the details of the PDS rice seized in recent years in Kakinada district.
Nov 3, 2022: Vigilance and enforcement officers seized 10,500 metric tonnes of PDS rice worth around Rs 11.99 lakh at Alamuru village of Alamuru mandal in Konaseema district.
Mar 8, 2023: Around 23 tonnes of PDS Rice worth Rs 40 Lakh and a lorry was seized by Special Branch police of Ambedkar Konaseema district. The PDS rice was loaded at Undrajavaram and it would be transported to Kakinada.
Sept 15, 2024: The vigilance officers, along with Revenue and Civil Supplies departments seized 3,884 kg of PDS rice at Z Ragampeta village of Gandepalli mandal in Kakinada district. Oct 14, 2025: Gollaprolu police seized 80 bags containing 3,780 kg of PDS rice at Prathipadu Junction. The lorry and the stock of PDS rice were seized, and the driver was arrested. Mar 22, 2026: Kakinada district authorities blocked the export of 140 metric tonnes of Public Distribution System (PDS) rice at Kakinada Port, worth Rs 65 lakh.