Tamil Nadu - Coimbatore   

Diagnostic study of rice mills at Kangeyam conducted

Coimbatore: The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (MSME Development Institute, formerly known as SISI) has conducted a diagnostic study of the cluster of rice mills at Kangeyam. The aim is to help the units improve the facilities available and also increase their marketing.

Assistant Director of the branch of the institute here, P. Sivasubramanian, told The Hindu that the units needed better testing, storage facilities, help in marketing and improvement of production practices.

A cluster programme, with assistance from the Centre under the Cluster Development Programme, would enable the units get this assistance.

Hence, a diagnostic study was conducted and proposal would be prepared soon.

Mr. Sivasubramanian said the Kangeyam belt in Erode district had over 100 rice mills and had the capacity to process 4.14 lakh tonnes of paddy a year.

The units provided direct employment to nearly 2,200 people and the approximate turnover of the units was Rs. 340 crore annually. The units needed better storage facility with infrastructure for weighing and testing and modernisation of the semi-mechanised units. Besides, awareness among farmers on cultivating fine quality paddy and link between farmers and rice millers for regular supply of paddy should be ensured.

Creating new markets, common purchase and storage, etc., were other requirements.

He said that the rice mill cluster was one of the 15 clusters in the State taken up by the institute for such a study. An estimate of the quantum of assistance needed to create these facilities would be prepared and a proposal would also be drafted to implement these programmes under the cluster development project.

Simultaneously, measures such as marketing guidance, skill development and training would be conducted for these mills.

At a meeting held at Kangeyam recently, the findings of the study were presented to the members of the Kangeyam Taluk Rice Mill Owners’ Association, representatives from banks and Government Departments.

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