Telangana, India enters global rice export market with maiden shipment to SEA

Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy declared that Telangana has completed its first rice export to the Philippines, representing a significant advancement in accessing international markets for the state's excess paddy, as per an official statement from the Telangana government.

As per the announcement, the arrangement indicates that the rice to be exported will be of the IR64/MTU1010 type, featuring 5% broken grains, well-milled, polished, and Sortex grade. The rice must also comply with stringent quality standards, such as minimal foreign particles, moisture content not exceeding 14%, and restricted amounts of damaged, discolored, and red grains.

Addressing the press after initiating the shipment at Kakinada Port, Uttam Kumar Reddy announced that 12,500 metric tons of rice had been sent out earlier that day.

“This is a significant moment for Telangana’s farmers and our agriculture sector,” he said.

Uttam Kumar Reddy stated that Telangana has become a significant paddy-producing state due to its advantageous soil, climate, and the active assistance offered by the Congress government. He mentioned that rice is the primary crop grown by farmers, and its production has experienced steady increases, the statement concluded.

“We found an opportunity with the Philippines, which, after conducting a thorough assessment of rice samples from Telangana, expressed interest in importing our rice,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy.

“After examining the quality, the Philippines government proposed to initially purchase 1 LMT of rice and 8 LMTs of paddy from Telangana. Based on this, a MoU was signed, and a formal agreement was reached between The Telangana State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (TGSCSCL) and Planters Products Inc., representing the Philippines government,” he explained.