The procured paddy is then sent to the empanelled rice mills and rice is stored in government warehouses. In the last stage, the rice reaches people through a public distribution system (PDS).

For every 100 kg paddy procured, around 64kg of rice is milled in Bengal. (Representational Photo)

With rice mills shying away from participating in the state’s paddy procurement system and rain hampering the kharif crop, West Bengal is struggling to meet its target for this year’s paddy processing.

Officials said a dip in agreements with rice mills, untimely rain during harvesting season, low labour wages and a shadow of the recent ration distribution scam in the state are among the reasons that have hampered West Bengal’s paddy procurement during this year’s kharif season. According to officials, the government had set a target of procuring 70 lakh ton in the 2022-23 financial year. However, till now, the state has managed to procure 10% of the target.

In the 2021-2022 financial year, the state government had set a target to procure 55 lakh ton paddy and ultimately collected 50 lakh ton. Though the process of paddy procurement continues till January first week, officials are having a tough time in meeting the allotted target.

Officials said one of the key reasons behind the low paddy procurement this year was the hesitation on the part of rice millers to enter into agreement with the government. The state procures paddy through its Food and Supplies Department from farmers at the allotted Minimum Support Price (MSP). The current MSP for paddy in Bengal is Rs 2,183 per quintal.

The procured paddy is then sent to the empanelled rice mills and rice is stored in government warehouses. In the last stage, the rice reaches people through a public distribution system (PDS). From every 100 kg paddy procured, around 64 kg rice is milled.

A senior official of the Food and Supply department said, “In a recent department meeting, it was pointed out that the pace of signing bipartite agreements with rice mills in Birbhum, Dakshin Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri and Purba Bardhaman district was slow. If the rice mill owners are reluctant, they might be given extra time to sign up. After the additional time ends, the mills who do not sign an agreement may not be approached by the department for next year’s paddy procurement.”

According to the state government, there are around 1,400 rice mills in Bengal. In 2021-22, around 650 mill owners had signed bipartite agreements with the government. At 570, the number has dipped this year.

At the same time, the number of farmers enlisted for paddy procurement has also gone down. Over the last few years, around 50 lakh farmers had been enrolling for the government procurement system, but this year the number is yet to cross 1.5 lakh. Officials claimed that the dip was also due to unwilling rice mills who were sending fewer agents to rope in farmers for the government’s paddy procurement system.

“This year, there was a depression in the Bay of Bengal which led to rain between October and November during the harvesting season. The untimely rain also affected this year’s paddy production. Farmers are delaying their enrollment but we are confident that the numbers will increase by January first week,” said an official. However, rice millers in the state don’t share the optimism. Many mill owners feel that the price offered by the government is insufficient to cover expenses like labour wages.

Bengal Rice Mills’ Association president Sushil Chowdhury said, “The government should understand that the bipartite agreement should ensure a win-win situation for everyone. We are not here to count losses. The government has not increased labourers’ wages and other overheads for the past 10 years. How can we benefit from the agreement?”

“We pay around Rs 400-500 per day to a labourer working in a rice mill. However, we get about Rs 250 per day for each labourer from the government,” claimed a rice mill owner.

For other rice millers, the alleged irregularities in ration distribution reported earlier this year are also to be blamed for the low paddy procurement. In October, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrested state forest minister Jyoti Priya Mallick and his close aide Bakibur Rahman in connection with alleged anomalies in the PDS. Mallick had held the food and supplies portfolio between 2011 and 2021.

In a chargesheet filed on December 13, the central probe agency had pegged the loss due to the alleged scam at around Rs 400 crore. According to ED officials, ration meant for PDS beneficiaries was allegedly siphoned off by flour millers in connivance with distributors and other people in the supply chain. The proceeds from selling the ration in the open market were worth crores of rupees. The proceeds were deposited in the bank accounts of three shell firms under the garb of bogus share premiums and commission from foodgrain trading, said the agency.

The probe agency claimed that these companies were subsequently liquidated. These bogus firms had no real business and were used only for laundering the proceeds of crime, it added.

Another rice mill owner also said, “Till last year, rice mills in North 24 Parganas district got the bulk of paddy harvesting orders from the government even though it has fewer rice mills than Purba Bardhman because the minister (Mallick) belongs to that district. This year, the government wants rice mills from Purba Bardhman to take a lead because after Rahman and Mallick’s arrests, the mills of North 24 Parganas are under scanner. But, Purba Bardhman’s rice mills are now busy with high-quality rice production. Why would we enter into a loss-making agreement with the government?” Mallick is an MLA from Habra assembly constituency in North 24 Parganas district.

Despite attempts to contact him, State Food and Supplies Minister Ratin Ghosh was unreachable for comment.

Published Date: December 24, 2023