Kuttanad Rice Production Halted; Farmers Face Severe Setback

The modern rice mill of Oil Palm India Ltd. in the Kottinat area, which supported paddy farmers, has been shut down. Authorities ceased operations citing the deterioration of the paddy storage centers (silos). This closure is expected to be a major setback for the paddy farming community in Kuttanad and Apparkuttanad. Farmers are concerned about where to store paddy and how to receive the outstanding dues of over five crore rupees for the previous season.