Steps needed to improve the value-addition of rice were discussed at a meeting held at the Small & Medium Enterprises Development Authority (Smeda). The meeting was chaired by Smeda Chief Executive Shahab Khawaja, who was assisted by Ijaz Majeed, Provincial Chief, Muslim Raza, Manager, and Moatasim Mumtaz, Assistant Manager.
Abdul Aziz Ghaffar, Chief Organiser, Pakistan Rice Syndicate (PRS), was assisted by Zulfikar Thaver,Convener PRS, and Committee members Mehmood Ghaffar, Anis Majeed, Om Prakash Shamlal, Shams-ul-Islam, Rafiq Bashir and Hiranand. Kashif-ur-Rahman of New Hampshire Insurance Company was special invitee, according to a press release of PRS issued on Tuesday.
The meeting was organised by Smeda to meet the representatives of PRS to discuss the steps to improve the value-addition to rice. One of the primary issues that were discussed was the use of dryers for drying the paddy. Paddy, which is not properly dried, results in a lesser quality rice and increase in breakage ratio, which causes the downward pressure on rice price causing economic loss.
It was also discussed that why the dryers are emphasised so much, which was rightly answered by a participant that due to increased modernisation in production technologies and ever-increasing quality needs of the buyers.
Major rice crops of Sind are Irri-6, Irri-9 and D-98. PRS proposed to build a model drying facility. It was assumed that after seeing the benefits other millers will automatically follow. A financing scheme be developed for other millers who are willing to purchase a dryer, on subsidy and on easy options.
Another suggestion was that a consultant should be hired who will give suggestions for modernisation to local millers. The benefits after installing dryers to paddy growers, rice millers, rice exporters and economy should be quantified.
Representative of PRS also proposed for development of a 'manual' in local language for the millers.
Smeda will hold another meeting with millers to find out the reasons due to which they are not installing dryers even though they are suffering loss.
-PR
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