Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy released new guidelines for law enforcement in civil supplies in Hyderabad on Thursday. | Photo credit: By arrangement
HYDERABAD
Telangana achieved a rare doubling of record paddy production and procurement in the 2025-26 Kharif season, Civil Supplies and Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said, calling it “unprecedented” in the country since independence.
In a meeting held here on Thursday to review the progress of paddy rice procurement in Kharif 2025-26 and finalize the action plan for the upcoming Rabi season 2025-26, the minister also detailed a comprehensive plan for upgradation of infrastructure, promotion of exports and expansion of welfare, emphasizing responsibility and technological advancement to sustain the momentum.
He later announced in the media that Telangana procured 71.64 million tonnes of paddy worth ₹ 19,000 crores during the Kharif season, benefiting more than 15 million farmers. “This is not just a number. It is a proof of our commitment to farmers’ welfare,” the minister said, congratulating the civil supplies department for organizing the act.
Capitalizing on the record purchase supported by the harvest, he said the state government is actively proposing policies to promote export-oriented rice production and to promote rice exports. The state has significant potential for annual bulk rice exports after meeting domestic requirements such as milled rice (CMR) supplies to the Food Corporation of India, Public Distribution System (PDS) needs and local consumption.
The minister emphasized the need for targeted incentives that will encourage farmers to grow paddy varieties with high export demand. Explaining the scope and reach of the procurement programme, he said the civil supplies department paid ₹38,000 crore annually to farmers for the purchase of paddy fields.
He released a new manual for enforcement in civil supply cases prepared by the team of Commissioner M. Stephen Ravindra. The minister reiterated that there would be no grain rations for defaulting mills. In a bid to utilize the surplus production, the minister said a policy would soon be formulated to support export-oriented rice mills with incentives for mills that export rice outside the state and country.
Published – 22 Jan 2026 20:40 IST
