HYDERABAD: Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has requested the Centre to increase the procurement allocation to an additional 20 lakh tonnes of boiled rice — over the already approved 20 lakh tonnes target — for the 2025–26 Kharif marketing season, with 5% broken rice.
In a letter to Union Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Pralhad Joshi on Thursday, Uttam flagged a mismatch between Telangana’s bumper paddy output and the Centre’s limited procurement allocations, placing three specific demands.
He noted that for KMS 2025–26 (Kharif and Rabi), the state was allotted a boiled rice target of 20 lakh tonnes. “Owing to favourable monsoon conditions during the Kharif season, 71.86 lakh tonnes was procured. During Rabi, around 95 lakh tonnes of paddy was expected to be purchased, as conveyed at the Food Secretaries Conference on March 6, 2026,” he said.
Uttam pointed out that Rabi paddy was more suitable for conversion into boiled rice than raw rice. However, the allocation of 20 lakh tonnes of boiled rice for the entire KMS 2025–26 was inadequate, given the expected Rabi procurement of about 95 lakh tonnes. He said the grain characteristics and lower moisture levels made it more suitable for parboiling.
He also sought an extension for the Rabi 2024-25 season. “The Union government issued orders for accepting CMR for Rabi 2024-25 up to February 28, 2026. Due to pending CMR from the present Kharif season, deliveries for Rabi are lagging. As of now, 8.45 lakh tonnes of rice was yet to be delivered. Hence, we request a two-month extension,” he said.
Uttam further stated that rice millers have, in principle, agreed to supply boiled rice with 5% brokens from the Rabi 2024-25 crop. He urged the Centre to allot at least five lakh tonnes of boiled rice — instead of the earlier request for 10 lakh tonnes — by reducing the raw rice target for Rabi 2024–25.