Kommareddy Pattabhiram, national spokesperson of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), questioned the sudden increase in rice exports from the Kakinada port on Tuesday, despite the fact that paddy production in Andhra Pradesh has decreased drastically in recent years, and requested a CBI investigation into the issue.
Pattabhiram told the media,’In 2018-19, the paddy production in the state was 82.30 lakh tonnes and it came down to 78.90 lakh tonnes in 2020-21. The rice exports in 2018-19 were 18 lakh tonnes and in 2020-21 the exports rose to 31.51 lakh tonnes and by 2021-22 the exports went up remarkably to 48.26 lakh tonnes. How is there such a sudden growth in the export of rice?’
According to the Centre’s reports, there has been no increase in paddy cultivation in Andhra Pradesh in the last couple of years. Pattabhiram point out and asked, if this is the case, why have exports increased so dramatically. According to the TDP leader, this clearly indicates that ration rice is being diverted and stocks are being exported to foreign countries.
He stated that the state government has stated that 82.75 lakh tonnes of rice were procured in 2020-21, whereas Central reports show that production was only 78.90 lakh tonnes in the same year. This indicates that something has gone wrong somewhere. He claimed that only an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would reveal the truth.
According to the TDP national spokesperson, there is a rice mafia in the state, and the CBI should investigate to bring the culprits to justice. Furthermore, Pattabhiram repeatedly stated that the TDP will fight until the truth is revealed and the perpetrators are immediately arrested.
Observing that the YSRCP’s three-and-a-half-year rule has been riddled with scams such as the rice scam, land scam, liquor and mining scandal, and mining. Pattabhiram stated that Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy is always concerned with how to line his pockets but never considers the poor and oppressed sections of society.
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