Telangana: Dry ports can ease paddy procurement burden

Hyderabad: The Federation of Telangana Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FTCCI) has called upon the State government to set up dry ports in districts where is more production of paddy so that the transportation charges could be minimised.

On the request of the Telangana State Planning Board Vice Chairman B Vinod Kumar, the FTCCI has prepared a report on 'Rice Exports from Telangana Opportunities and Way Forward.' Its representatives handed over the report to the Planning Board VC on Wednesday.

The report notes there is abundant paddy production in districts such as Karimnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad, Nalgonda and Medak. If the government sets up dry ports in these districts, the paddy can be sold and purchased in the same districts and it would also lead to reduction in expenditure. They said that in Janakampeta in Dichpally in Nizamabad district, which is bordering with Maharashtra, a facility of Inland Container Depot (ICD) can be set up.

The representatives said that presently the ICD is only in Sanathnagar and transporting the produce has become a costly affair and, hence, the Centre should provide Concor (Container Corporation of India) some subsidy. There is a need to create awareness among the farmers on the use of the pesticides, said the representatives. They also said that 'Telangana Sona' had brought a brand image to the state.

Vinod Kumar said that with a planned construction of irrigation projects by Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, there was availability of abundant water and this resulted in huge production of paddy in the State. FTCCI President K Bhaskar Reddy, CEO Khyati Naravane, Deputy CEO T Sujatha were present.