Palakkad National Janata Dal district committee members symbolically transplant paddy saplings on National Highway 544 at Kuzhalmandam between Wadakkanchery and Walayar during a protest on Wednesday. The demonstration, which included blocking the highway, was held to condemn an alleged move by the government to deceive farmers by delaying the start of paddy procurement. | Photo credit: KK Mustafah
The state’s procurement crisis remains unresolved as rice mill owners challenge the government’s claim to reach an agreement with them.
KK Raman, president of the Kerala Rice Millers Association, on Wednesday rejected the government’s claim that mill owners’ concerns had been addressed and procurement had begun in Palakkad and Alappuzha. He said the government’s claims were baseless.
Mill owners have raised concerns about paddy quality, paddy ratio, handling charges and pending payments. “The government has not given us any assurance on these demands,” Mr. Raman said.
According to Mr. Raman, only one non-association mill is currently involved in rice procurement.
When the government started procurement of paddy rice in 2005, as many as 112 rice mills were involved. However, this number has now dropped to 56. Twelve mills have closed in the last five years. According to him, twenty mills withdrew from the awarding of orders.
“Eleven mills suffered a loss of ₹200 crore as they could not supply the stipulated quantity of rice to Supplyco due to insufficient paddy quality,” he said.
Mill owners are facing a major crisis similar to that of farmers, Mr. Raman said, demanding government intervention to resolve their woes.
Socialist Party (India) state general secretary Manoj T. Sarang demanded immediate government intervention to get the harvested rice in the state. “Farmers are being scapegoated in the tug of war between the government and the mill owners,” he said.
Police on Wednesday detained Palakkad National Janata Dal district committee members for blocking National Highway 544 at Kuzhalmandam between Wadakkanchery and Walayar during the protest. The demonstration was organized to condemn the government’s alleged attempt to deceive farmers by delaying the start of procurement of paddy fields. | Photo credit: KK Mustafah
He lamented that due to delayed government contracts, farmers were forced to sell their rice to private mills at low prices.
Muthalamthodu Mani, president of the Desiya Karshaka Samajam (DKS), urged the government to increase the incentive for farmers from ₹6.31 to ₹10 per kg to prevent a complete collapse of the paddy procurement system.
Karshaka Congress district president B. Iqbal accused the government of colluding with mill owners to help them reap profits from the procurement crisis. He said the government had delayed the procurement as part of an agreement with the mill owners who had demanded GST matters linked to the central government.
Mr. Iqbal alleged that the government, aware of its inability to address the mill owners’ concerns, failed to come up with alternative purchase plans. “By delaying the process, the government has indirectly induced farmers to sell paddy rice to private mills at low prices,” he said, warning against starting an agitation if the government does not find a solution immediately.
Published – 05 Nov 2025 21:11 IST
