CHENNAI: Rice price, which remained static for the past six months, has increased marginally in the last two weeks owing to poor arrivals from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

The price of `Andhra Sona' (seasoned), which was Rs. 17.5 a kg a few weeks ago, is now sold at Rs. 19 a kg in the wholesale market. In the case of the newly-harvested Sona, the price varies between Rs. 16 and 17 as against Rs. 14.5 and Rs. 15 a few weeks ago. In the retail market, these varieties are quoted at least a rupee more, according to wholesale dealers.

The increase is also perceptible in medium varieties (seasoned), such as `Andhra masuri' and `Bapatala,' which now sell between Rs. 15 and Rs. 16 a kg as against Rs. 14 a few weeks ago. However, there is no change in the price of the coarse varieties, which remain between Rs. 11 and Rs. 12 a kg.

Similarly, `Karnataka Sona' is being sold between Rs. 17.5 and Rs. 18 a kg and the silky steam variety between Rs. 17 and Rs. 17.5 a kg. A few weeks ago, they were quoted a rupee less.

The buoyancy in the prices has been attributed to the substantial fall in arrivals from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Till a fortnight ago, the State, on an average, was receiving not less than 150 to 200 lorry loads of rice each from Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. But the arrivals have come down to just 40 to 50 lorries a day.

However, there is no shortage of rice for public distribution. Though there has been a substantial increase in the monthly off-take from 1.75 lakh tonnes in December to about 2.15 lakh tonnes in the last 3e months, the Government has sufficient stock.

Every month, the Government is dispatching 2.58 lakh tonnes to fair price shops to provide the quota of 20 kg to cardholders.

To meet the demand, the State has been lifting the entire Central quota of 1.31 lakh tonnes of rice under below the poverty line category and the rest from above the poverty line category.

As the Civil Supplies Corporation had procured about 9.20 lakh tonnes in the last samba season, there would be no difficulty in getting rice from the Central pool, sources said.

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