Hyderabad: The Telangana government unveiled a comprehensive roadmap for the rice milling sector and promised policy support for the modernisation of mills, with a focus on exports, technology adoption and value addition.
Addressing the International Rice and Grains Tech Expo-2026 at HITEX in Hyderabad on Saturday, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana had already emerged as India’s leading paddy-producing and paddy-procuring state. He said the next goal under the Telangana rice technology roadmap was to position the state as a global leader in rice technology, innovation and value addition.
The Minister described rice millers as partners in Telangana’s development. He said the government wanted farmers, millers and consumers to benefit collectively from the state’s agricultural growth.
Telangana rice technology policy focuses on exports
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government was examining a new incentive policy to encourage the establishment of export-oriented rice mills. He stated that new rice mills created for exports, as well as existing mills shifting their operations towards export markets, would be considered for special incentives.
According to the Minister, these measures would help strengthen Telangana’s presence in global rice markets. He also stressed the need for the industry to increase competitiveness through technology-driven expansion.
Meanwhile, he highlighted labour shortages affecting the rice milling sector. Therefore, he urged millers to adopt greater mechanisation and automation. He said modern machinery could reduce dependence on manual labour, improve productivity and address recurring workforce shortages during peak milling seasons.
Telangana rice technology plan emphasises modern infrastructure
The Minister called for substantial investments in modern grain storage infrastructure. He advocated the development of steel silos, automated storage systems, artificial intelligence-based grain monitoring and digital inventory management systems.
Furthermore, Uttam Kumar Reddy invited private investors to submit proposals for large-capacity storage facilities through public-private partnership models.
He also urged the industry to adopt water-saving and energy-efficient technologies in parboiling plants. Future processing units, he said, should focus on reducing water consumption, recycling water and improving environmental sustainability.
In addition, the Minister asked millers to move beyond quality-focused processing and place greater emphasis on nutrition. He highlighted controlled whitening, precision polishing, nutrient-retention systems and AI-based quality assessment technologies as tools that could help produce healthier rice.
Telangana rice technology growth backed by strong procurement
Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana was producing nearly 300 lakh metric tonnes of paddy annually. He added that the state currently accounted for almost 60 per cent of India’s Rabi paddy procurement.
The Minister said the government had transferred nearly Rs 39,000 crore to farmers during the current Kharif and Rabi procurement seasons. He further noted that more than Rs 96,000 crore had been transferred to farmers since the Congress government assumed office.
He also highlighted the state’s fine-rice distribution programme, which benefits 3.2 crore people. The programme, he said, involves annual expenditure of around Rs 14,000 crore.
Calling for collaboration among farmers, millers, technology providers and policymakers, Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana had already secured leadership in paddy production and procurement. However, he stressed that the state should now strive to become a global centre for rice technology, innovation and exports.