Rice prices continue to climb in State

Nellore : The price of super fine rice is defying all laws of gravity since September last year. The price which used to be Rs 24 per kg then has climbed to Rs 29 in August this year and now it is about Rs 33.
Even the price of fine variety of rice is on the rise. In August last year, its price was Rs 21 per kg and by September this year it rose to Rs 30 per kg.
The prices are bound to go up further in future as the supply position has not improved much.
Officials are not ready to share information on demand supply position of the super fine rice. Says Commissioner Civil Supplies Sanjay Jaju: ``It is true that there is a gap between the demand and supply. But I do not want to give the figures. Once the figures are out retailers will start jacking up the prices.’’ The sources in the Civil Supplied Department said that there was a shortfall of 35 per cent in the production of super or super fine variety rice last year. The total production of rice was about 142 lakh tonnes in the 2006- 07 and 133 lakh tonnes in 2007-08, but it fell drastically to 94.9 lakh tonnes in 2008-09.
Kurnool, Nellore and Warangal are the only areas where the super fine is being produced. Though there are more than 10 varieties of super fine rice only eight varieties -- Sona Masuri, Samba Masuri, Gedda Masuri, Vijaya Masuri, Nellore Molakolokulu, JGL, Chitti Mutyalu and one other variety -- are preferred.
So far the Government has not made an estimate on the total production of the super fine rice in the State. But unofficial sources say it is estimated that the production of these varieties is about 40 per cent of total production of rice and in terms of quantity it amounts to 50 lakh tonnes and it is being produced only during Kharif season.
The State is consuming about 90 per cent of it and the rest is being exported to other states.
As the prices are rising, the Government has stopped exports and imposed limitations on the storage in the mills.
An official of Civil Supplies Department says that the millers are allowed to stock fine rice variety to the extent of 5 per cent of the total rice with them and the cap is 1800 tonnes.
Official are hopeful that the produce of Kharif 2009-10 is going to come to their rescue. They are hoping that sizeable quantities of super fine rice would come in to the market and bring down the prices.
Commissioner Civil Supplies Sanjay Jaju stated that Agriculture Department is taking steps to increase the production of super fine variety rice by four to five lakh metric tonnes in the Rabi 2009-10.
Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director B Udayalaxmi told `Express’ that consumption of super fine rice is growing in the State. She informed that her Department had opened about 490 special counters in Hyderabad, Vijayawada and in other cities to provide super fine rice at Rs 20 per kg.