Basmati rice produced in Haryana, especially in Karnal district is in much demand all over the world, being exported to nearly 160 countries including Gulf countries, Srilanka, Nepal, Italy, Thailand, Spain, China, Africa, United States and many European countries. The demand for Basmati rice produced in Haryana is constantly rising every year. According to rice exporters in the state, the buyers in Gulf and European countries are very quality conscious. During the year 2013, Basmati rice of value worth Rs 40,000 crore was exported from the country. The president of Haryana Rice Millers & Dealers Association Amarjit Chhabra said that in the coming budget government should provide rebate in taxes, no fresh tax should be imposed and MEP should be reduced from 950 dollar per ton to 750 dollar to face tough competition with the rice exports from Pakistan. He said India rice exporters could not perform well during the last couple of years due to price war, demanding the government to fulfil the requirements of traders and the exporters. He said, Haryana has nearly 65% share in export of Basmati rice in the country.
According to information, there are 1790 rice mills in Haryana state which include 350 in Karnal district, 270 in Kurukshetra district, 250 in Kaithal district, 200 in Yamunanagar district, 180 each in Ambala and Fatehabad districts, 100 in Sirsa district, 70 in Palwal district, 50 in Panipat district, 40 in Jind district, 30 in Sonepat district, 25 each in Hisar and Panchkula districts and 15 in Rohtak district. The rice millers and rice exporters demand relief in sale and export of rice demanding no new tax should be imposed, since a large number of rice mills in the state are facing sickness and many lying closed. The exporters demanded minimum export price (MEP) as well as export duty should be reduced as much as possible, enabling increase in rice exports as well as reasonable profit to the rice growers on their crops in the state.
The Chairman of Haryana Rice Millers Association Jwail Singh said, there are 270 rice mills in Kurukshetra district and the owners of most of these rice mills are losing interest in this business due to unfavourable government policies, causing them loss in this business during milling the rice, in which they are paid for 62 kg rice after milling paddy crop as against the actual quantity of 67 kg rice obtained by them, thus incurring them loss during milling. “Moreover, the milling rates have not been revised for the past 25 years and there is a tuff competition among rice millers in the state.” On the condition not to disclose their identity, few rice millers blamed harassment by the government employees visiting during physical verification of rice stocks. They said, it is not possible to pay them ‘Suvidha Shulk’ when they are already incurring loss in this business.
