HYDERABAD: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government was considering special incentives for new export-oriented rice mills and existing units shifting to exports, to strengthen the state’s presence in global rice markets.
Addressing the International Rice and Grains Tech Expo-2026 at HITEX in Hyderabad on Saturday, the minister said Telangana had emerged as India’s leading paddy-producing and paddy-procuring state and should now strive to become a global leader in rice technology and value addition. Describing rice millers as partners in the state’s progress, he said the government wanted farmers, millers and consumers to benefit together from agricultural growth.
Highlighting labour shortages in the rice industry, Uttam Kumar Reddy urged millers to adopt greater mechanisation and automation, saying modern machinery could improve productivity and reduce dependence on manual labour during peak seasons.
The minister called for investment in modern grain storage infrastructure, including steel silos, automated storage systems, AI-based grain monitoring and digital inventory management. He invited private investors to come forward with proposals for large-capacity storage facilities under public-private partnership models.
He also urged the industry to adopt water-saving and energy-efficient technologies in parboiling plants, stressing the need to reduce water consumption, recycle water and improve environmental sustainability. Uttam asked millers to move beyond quality-based processing and focus on nutrition through technologies such as controlled whitening, precision polishing, nutrient-retention systems and AI-based quality assessment.
Stating that Telangana produces nearly 300 lakh metric tonnes of paddy annually and accounts for nearly 60% of India’s Rabi paddy procurement, Uttam said the government had transferred nearly Rs 39,000 crore to farmers during the current Kharif and Rabi procurement seasons and over `96,000 crore since the Congress government assumed office.