FCI stops accepting rice delivery
Ruchika Khanna

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 29

The Centre has again rejected 600 stacks of fortified rice supplied by the millers of Punjab in the 2023-24 marketing season.

This has the millers up in arms against the Food Corporation of India (FCI) for refusing to accept the rice although the samples had passed a retest conducted last year. The retest results of the most samples for quality, after fortification, were positive, and the results had reportedly been accepted by the Government of India.

But today, letters were sent by the FCI to their 13 divisional managers across the state, saying 600 stacks should be replaced by as many millers. Till the time they replaced the stacks, beginning today, the FCI has stopped accepting rice milled by these millers for the season.

“How and why should we replace the stacks when the retest conducted last year had confirmed that the quality of rice kernel fortification was good?” said Bharat Bhushan Binta of the Punjab Rice Industry Association.

The problem started in 2022, when these rice millers got fortified rice from FCI-appointed manufacturers for blending with rice. After blending, when the rice was delivered last year and the FCI tested the samples, they found that the nutritional value of fortified rice was below standards. The FCI had then refused to accept that rice stock.

The millers, on the other hand, said they could not be held responsible for the low nutritional value of fortified rice, and that the suppliers chosen by the FCI should be held accountable. These millers had then proceeded on a strike, following which, retesting of the samples was ordered on the insistence of the state government.

Ranjit Singh Josan, who owns a rice shelling unit in Ferozepur, said the FCI had itself accepted that most rice samples had later passed the quality test.

“They even asked for all dues of millers to be cleared. However, now, when the FCI sought permission from the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, to move these stacks of rice to recipient states, it was declined,” he said.

B Srinivasan, FCI Regional General Manager, Punjab region, said some samples had failed even during the retest last year. The decision has been taken at the highest level that the stacks have to be replaced, he confirmed.

Published Date: August 29, 2024