BARGARH: Over 1,000 rice millers from across Odisha held a meeting here on Sunday evening to discuss the issues affecting the state’s rice milling industry.
Organised by the All Odisha Rice Millers’ Association, the ‘Bargarh Mahasamabesh’ witnessed participation of 1,031 millers from 30 districts of the state. The millers accused the state government of failing to fulfil the commitments which it had made for the kharif marketing season (KMS) 2024-25.
The association members said millers were promised a hike in milling rates in November 2024. However, the assurance remains unfulfilled. The delay has caused widespread discontentment among millers who worked round-the-clock to assist the government in paddy procurement operations.
They further said despite procuring 96 lakh quintal of paddy, a 25 per cent increase from last year, 30 per cent of the stock is still lying in rice mills. The millers criticised the absence of a clear policy regarding the receipt of custom milled rice (CMR) and announced that they would henceforth lift paddy only against 100 per cent security.
The millers also raised concerns over non-payment of dues by the Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation (OSCSC) under the market margin development fund (MMDF) and unchanged transportation rates for years. Citing financial stress, the association members resolved that millers will limit themselves to rice milling operations and abstain from ancillary tasks like transport and handling.
Terming the reduction of driage allowance from 1 per cent to 0.074 per cent as unjust, the millers threatened to withdraw from paddy procurement in KMS 2025-26 unless the previous rate is restored.
Another major grievance discussed at the meet was non-payment of bills towards custody and maintenance of stored paddy since KMS 2023-24. The millers claimed that despite assurances from the state government and OSCSC, payments are yet to be released. In protest, they decided not to provide their godowns for storage of government paddy in the coming season.
The association members urged the government to take immediate steps to fulfil their demands. They threatened to disrupt paddy procurement and rice supply operations across the state if no heed was paid to their demands.
