Hyderabad, Mar 23 (TNT): Telangana is transitioning from an FCI-dependent surplus state into a globally recognised rice export powerhouse, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said on Monday, defending the state’s rice export initiative amid heated exchanges in the Assembly.
During Question Hour, the Minister mounted a strong counterattack against BRS leader and former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, who had demanded a scrutiny of the export policy.
Accusing Rao of attempting to discredit the initiative, Uttam said the criticism was politically motivated.
He alleged that Rao had earlier recommended a person of his choice for involvement in the export process and remarked that any House committee, if constituted, should examine decisions taken during Rao’s tenure, drawing thumping support from treasury benches.
Highlighting the achievements of the Telangana Rice Mission, Uttam said the state exported 22,750 metric tonnes of rice to the Philippines under a government-to-government arrangement.
He said the export fetched ₹3,600 per quintal, the highest price realised for this rice variety in any Indian export deal — significantly higher than domestic benchmarks.
He noted that FCI auctions in Andhra Pradesh under the Open Market Sale Scheme (OMSS) failed to attract buyers even at ₹3,000 per quintal, while paddy prices in Chhattisgarh averaged ₹1,800–₹1,900 per quintal.
The Minister said the export helped the state avoid an estimated loss of ₹13 crore amid heavy storage burdens.
Stating that the Civil Supplies Department currently holds about 86 lakh metric tonnes of rice, Uttam said the government continues to bear a substantial interest burden on procurement.
Despite this, he reiterated the government’s commitment to procure paddy from farmers “till the last grain.”
He said the Civil Supplies Corporation procured a record 72 lakh metric tonnes of paddy during the recent Kharif season, benefiting farmers across the state.
Uttam added that Telangana is directly engaging with global buyers and positioning its rice alongside international exporters such as Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia, with a focus on building it as a premium global brand while converting surplus production into sustainable export strength.
TNT TS
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