The Hindu Business Line : KRMC to hold two-day seminar on agriculture

FOR the promotion of agriculture in the State, Kalady Rice Millers Consortium Pvt Ltd (KRMC) is organising a two-day seminar and workshop on `Revival of agriculture in Kerala with special emphasis to value addition to paddy/rice' at Kalady near here from December 27 to 29.

KRMC is a consortium of 39 rice mills in and around Kalady, the hub of rice milling activity in the State. KRMC is a member of Kerala Federation of Industrial Clusters (KFIC) and is part of Kerala State Rice Mill Owners Association.

Addressing a press meet, Mr N.P.Antony, Managing Director of KRMC, said that the seminar is organised in association with Industries Department, Kerala Agricultural University.

Mr Subodh Kant Sahai, Union Minister of State for Food Processing Industries, juxtaposes the seminar and exhibition with the inauguration of the Solvent Extraction Plant for Rice Bran oil.

The foundation stone laying ceremony for KRMC's integrated complex for rice by-products and value added products by launching of rice Bran Oil `Leads' will be done by the State Industries Minister, Mr V.K. Ibrahim Kunju.

Leading manufacturers, refiners and marketing expects from Rice Bran Oil industry would share their views and expertise and deliberate about the latest trends in processing and marketing of the oil with the delegates.

The exhibition will showcase rice and rice products, machinery and spares for rice milling, farming equipment and accessories, agriculture implements.

According to Mr Antony, India is the second largest producer of rice in the world. Though paddy cultivation is in progressive climb in every other State, Kerala is in the reverse gear due to host of reasons.

The seminar will address why the farmers in Kerala are turning away from agriculture while everywhere else people are turning to farming activities. He pointed out that the total consumption of rice in the State is 40 lakh tonnes in a year.

However, the production of paddy in the State was only 8 lakh tonnes in 2.5 hectares of land. For the remaining 32 lakh tonnes of rice, Kerala has to depend on neighbouring States, he added.