Tamil Nadu : Rice mill owners seek abolition of cess on paddy
The Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners’ Association has urged the State government to abolish the paddy cess, saying it increases costs for rice mills. The association also called for measures to promote cultivation of fine paddy varieties to reduce dependence on supplies from neighbouring states and improve farmers’ incomes.
The Tamil Nadu Rice Mill Owners’ Association has urged the State government to abolish the cess levied on paddy, saying it has imposed an additional financial burden on rice mills.
A delegation of the association, led by its State deputy secretary T.P. Chandrasekaran, petitioned Minister for Revenue and Disaster Management K.A. Sengottaiyan in Gobichettipalayam on Sunday (July 6).
The association said officials of regulated markets were collecting cess on paddy transported by rice mills after its procurement from farmers and traders despite not providing any services. It alleged that officials were also imposing heavy penalties, adding to the financial burden on mill owners.
The association pointed out that the State government had abolished the cess on maize and cotton in 2025 and urged it to extend the same relief to paddy, a staple food grain. It said abolishing the cess would benefit farmers, rice mills and consumers.
The association also sought measures to promote the cultivation of fine paddy varieties such as Akshaya Amman Sona, KNM and HMT in the State. It said these varieties were currently being procured from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana to meet the growing demand in Tamil Nadu.
It urged the government to constitute a committee comprising paddy researchers, representatives of the Rice Mill Owners’ Association, farmers’ organisations and Agriculture Department to introduce and promote the cultivation of consumer-preferred fine paddy varieties in the State, thereby improving local availability and enhancing farmers’ income.
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Source : The Hindu
