India: New fortified rice kernel norms delay milling in Punjab

India’s revised testing requirements for fortified rice kernels (FRK) have disrupted shelling operations in Punjab’s rice mills, highlighting tensions between regulatory oversight and industry capacity in the country’s largest rice processing state.

A directive from the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution to subject every batch of FRK to stringent quality checks has slowed the supply of ministry-approved fortified kernels to millers, industry representatives said. The new regime mandates initial analysis at National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories (NABL)-accredited facilities followed by secondary testing at central government laboratories in Delhi, extending the approval cycle to about 25 days to a month.

Fortified rice kernels are micronutrient-enriched grains containing iron, folic acid and vitamin B-12, blended at 1% with rice milled under the Custom-Milled Rice (CMR) programme for distribution through the Public Distribution System (PDS) and nutrition schemes. The fortification initiative, introduced in 2020 under the PM Poshan scheme, aims to address micronutrient deficiencies among vulnerable populations.

Punjab accounts for a large share of India’s rice milling activity, with an estimated 120 units producing FRK for blending. Industry estimates suggest roughly 10,000 batches of kernels need testing this season. Millers expect about 100,000 tonnes of FRK will be required to fortify some 10.5 million tonnes of rice forecast to be milled from 15.6 million tonnes of procured paddy. The government has set the FRK procurement price at 39.80 per quintal, with total expenditure on fortified kernels this season pegged at around 400 crore.

Rice millers in Punjab said the backlog of untested FRK has brought custom milling operations close to a standstill, with shelling activity still incomplete well into December. “Due to restrictions imposed by the Centre, the rice milling industry in Punjab is facing an unprecedented crisis due to the acute non-availability of Fortified Rice Kernel (FRK), bringing custom milling operations almost to a complete halt,” said a senior office bearer of the Punjab Rice Millers’ Association.

Association vice-president Ranjit Singh Jossan confirmed that milling units had not fully commenced shelling by Dec. 20, as mills await approval of FRK consignments. The extended testing cycle has constrained supply in the market and delayed the blending process, exposing millers to rising inventory carrying costs and tighter processing windows ahead of delivery schedules to the Food Corporation of India.

Millers have urged the central government to rationalise the testing mechanism and eliminate duplicative steps to restore normal operations. Failure to do so could have knock-on effects on paddy procurement and milling margins in a season already marked by quality challenges and logistical pressures.

For now, the industry awaits clearer timelines on kernel approvals as stocks of unprocessed paddy accumulate at mill yards, adding urgency to discussions between regulators and trade bodies over balancing compliance with operational efficiency.

Tags: fortified rice kernels, India, millers, mills, procurement price