Set up fortified rice units in Vid, Centre to Maha

Nagpur: With the Centre planning to supply fortified rice through fair price shops in the near future, the Union ministry for consumer affairs, food and public distribution has suggested to Maharashtra government to encourage setting up of fortified rice manufacturing plants as well as rice bran oil processing units around the paddy belt of Bhandara, Gondia and Chandrapur in Vidarbha.
Citing the year 2023 being declared as International Year of Millets by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Union secretary to the ministry Sudhanshu Pandey has also suggested to the state to work on crop diversification, especially for production of millets.
Pandey, who along with officials of Food Corporation of India and other state agencies visited paddy procurement centre at Kardha in Bhandara district a day ago, expressed satisfaction over the operations and advised the officials to improve infrastructure. He also interacted with the farmers and encouraged them to avail the benefits of various schemes launched by the government.
He informed the farmers about a new testing method, which can detect the age of rice. Pandey also visited a fair price shop (FPS) at Kardha, where he interacted with the owner and some beneficiaries and reportedly expressed satisfaction over the distribution of ration under National Food Security Act and Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojana.
On his return to the city, the secretary held a review meeting in which secretary of state’s food department Vijay Waghmare, general manager (FCI) MS Sarang, divisional commissioner Prajakta Lavangare-Verma, collectors Nayana Gunde (Gondia), Sandip Kadam (Bhandara), Prerna Deshbhratar (Wardha) and Ajay Gulhane (Chandrapur), and other officials were present.
“Promote solvent extraction plants for manufacturing rice bran oil in the paddy districts. Set up grain-based distilleries for production of ethanol, thereby promoting cultivation of maize,” he said.
Pandey said, “East Vidarbha is paddy bowl of the region. The rice varieties grown in this part are traditional. But these varieties do not get satisfactory price. Because of lack of awareness about nutrition values of these varieties, most of the produce goes into the PDS. My department has taken note of all these issues and will write to the state.”
Pandey said there is gap of 20% between production and demand of pulses in the country. “Farmers should be encouraged for more production of pulses, soyabean and groundnut,” he said.
Sarang briefed the secretary about FCI operations and various issues related to procurement, storage and distribution in the state.