Reconsider decision to suspend rice mill operation: Exporters' body

-The Hindu Business Line

New Delhi: All India Rice Exporters Association (AIREA) on Sunday requested the Environmental Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority to reconsider the plan to extend the ban on rice mill operations in the National Capital Region (NCR) till Monday.

“Due to the current restriction coinciding with peak paddy procurement season, all the paddy is lying in mandies and shellers, at high moisture and is only going to affect adversely the trade and industry since the quality will also deteriorate,” AIREA said in a letter written to Bhure Lal, EPCA Chairman.

There are around 600 rice mills in the NCR region, which extends up to 120 kilometres from Delhi in diameter and these mills had suspended operations since November 6, following the EPCA order. Last year, rice industry was exempted from any restriction as rice was an essential commodity.

Paddy is a farm produce which at the time of harvest has high levels of moisture and the very first activity is to dry the paddy in rice mills so that moisture levels are under control, it further said.

Please click here to read more.