HYDERABAD: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Monday announced that Telangana had successfully exported its first consignment of 12,500 metric tonnes of rice to the Philippines, marking a major step in tapping global markets for the state’s surplus paddy.
Speaking to the media after flagging off the shipment at Kakinada Port in Andhra Pradesh, marking the beginning of an export deal that will see a total of eight lakh metric tonnes of rice shipped to the Philippines, Uttam said, “This is a significant moment for Telangana’s farmers and our agriculture sector.”
“This is a proud moment for Telangana. Our rice, cultivated by hard working farmers, is now reaching international markets, ensuring better income opportunities for them. The government is committed to promoting agricultural exports and supporting farmers,” he added.
MV Trung N set sail with Telangana’s MTU-1010 rice variety, a high-quality product recognised for its nutritional value and premium quality.
The minister said Telangana has emerged as a major paddy-producing state, thanks to favourable soil, climatic conditions and the proactive support provided by the Congress government.
He noted that paddy is the main crop cultivated by farmers, and production has seen consistent growth. “This year the annual paddy production was about 280 lakh metric tonnes (LMTs), and we often produce far more than what is required for the state and central pool,” he added.
Financial burden
The minister pointed out that the state government has been incurring heavy expenditure on paddy procurement and related costs. “Due to undue delays in receiving the cost of Custom Milled Rice (CMR) from the Union government and the Food Corporation of India, we are facing a serious financial burden in the form of interest payments,” he said.
Uttam said that several rounds of discussions were held between officials of Telangana and the Philippines. “After examining the quality, the Philippines government proposed to initially purchase one LMT of rice and eight LMTs of paddy from Telangana. Based on this, an MoU was signed, and a formal agreement was reached between the Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (TGSCSCL) and Planters Products Inc., representing the Philippines government,” he explained.
The agreement specifies that the exported rice would be of the IR64/MTU1010 variety, with five per cent broken, well-milled, polished and sortex quality. The rice must also adhere to strict quality parameters, including minimal foreign matter, low moisture content (up to 14%), and limited damaged, discoloured, and red grains. “The export rate was finalised at `36,000 per metric tonne,” he announced.
He further stated that 103 rice mills in Telangana participated in milling the MSP paddy for this export. “This is just the beginning. We are confident that Telangana rice will soon gain a strong foothold in international markets,” Uttam added.