Odisha MP writes to Centre, seeks procurement of par-boiled rice

With a view to safeguarding the interests of Odisha farmers, Biju Janta Dal (BJD) Member of Parliament Amar Patnaik on Saturday wrote to Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal and urged him to intervene in the issue of procurement of parboiled rice.

Patnaik stressed the problem of the non-procurement of rice in the state.

"The lifting of par-boiled rice from Odisha has been a problem for the last two seasons. Even nutrition added fortified rice is not being procured by the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Currently, in the Kharif season 2022, we expect the surplus par-boiled rice to reach 11.00 lakh metric tons but the FCI has refused to procure the same causing untold miseries to the farmers," said Patnaik in his letter.

He also mentioned that the state was facing a lot of hardships.

"It is not understandable as to why the Centre is refusing to procure the surplus parboiled rice from Odisha, which can also be fortified if required for export to other countries, thus putting our farmers into tremendous hardships," he added.

He also requested the Union Minister to have a positive view of the entire matter so that the farmers of Odisha do not suffer more as they are recovering from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

( With inputs from ANI )