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Bengal rice to reach State in 10 days

KOLLAM: A special team of senior officials from Kerala finalised a deal at Kolkota on Tuesday to purchase 2,000 tonnes of rice from West Bengal.

Riji G. Nair, Managing Director, Kerala State Cooperative Consumers Federation Limited (Consumerfed), one of the officials in the special team, told The Hindu over the telephone that the rice from West Bengal would be brought to the State in a special goods train. The rice was purchased from Bardhaman district. The rice is being packed in sacks and it will take 10 days to reach the State.

Dr. Nair said that Nirupam Sen, Communist Party of India (Marxist) Polit Bureau member and Industries and Commerce Minister of West Bengal, had taken special interest in finalising the deal. Bardhaman is the home district of Mr. Sen.

He said the Kerala team finalised the deal after it was satisfied with the quality and price. The purchased rice suits the Kerala palate. The rice has been procured at a fair price and this will help the Kerala government to control the price of rice in the State.

He said the details of the purchase would be formally announced by Food and Civil Supplies Minister C. Divakaran in Thiruvananthapuram.

The team is expected back home on Wednesday.

Special Correspondent writes from Thiruvananthapuram: Confirming the signing of a memorandum of understanding and contract with West Bengal for supply of rice, federation vice-president V. Rajasekharan Nair said that the Federation would be able to sell rice from West Bengal at Rs.14 a kg provided the government borne the transportation charges. The federation is thinking of opening 5,000 cooperative markets for sale of rice in consultation with Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran who had sent the team to West Bengal.

Mr. Rajasekharan Nair said that West Bengal had also agreed to supply rice to Kerala State Civil Supplies Corporation. Its authorities were in West Bengal for purchase of rice as decided by the Cabinet.

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