KOCHI: Two modern rice mills being set up by Kerala State Warehousing Corporation at Thakazhy and Alathoor would become operational soon, Chairman R. Sreedharan said.

He told media persons on Saturday that the Corporation plans to procure paddy directly from the farmers, process it and sell the rice in the market. The operation is intended to save the farmers from exploitation they face from several private millers, he said.

Mr. Sreedharan said efforts were being taken to make the Corporation a profit-making body. The Corporation was incurring a loss of Rs.12-14 lakh now. It had earned profit in 2000-01.

He accused the former management of having adopted wrong policies such as appointments in excess of vacancies. The Corporation had incurred losses to the tune of Rs.189.03 lakh in 2002-03 and Rs.181.36 lakh in 2003-04.

The Warehousing Corporation held talks with the Civil Supplies Corporation and had reached an understanding to shift the stock of the latter to more than 25 warehouses of the former.

Talks are being held with Beverages Corporation for keeping its stock at the godowns of the Warehousing Corporation.

The Warehousing Corporation is planning to construct a godown at North Paravur for storing the commodities of commodity trading exchanges such as NCDEX and MCX.

The construction wing of the Warehousing Corporation intends to take up construction works for Coirfed, Hantex and Devaswom Board, he said.

K.G.Ramachandran, Managing Director of the Corporation, was also present.

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