Old rice stocks dominate inventories, prices cannot be increased abnormally: Telangana officials to millers

Director of Telangana Civil Supplies, G.V. Shyam Prasad Lal, at a meeting with prominent rice millers and wholesale traders from Miryalguda, Nizamabad, and Nalgonda, in Hyderabad on Wednesday (October 28, 2026) | Photo Credit: BY ARRANGEMENT Telangana Civil Supplies Department officials held another round of meeting with rice millers and traders to prevent market manipulations which can lead to surge in prices of staple food items burdening people. Pointing out that current market inventories consist entirely of stock from the previous agricultural season, they said that the prices cannot be increased abnormally.People across the State have been buying the food grains at nearly double the price. Farmers are preferring to sell the current harvest, from Kharif crop, in open markets where they are being paid between ₹3,000 to ₹3,500 per quintal (100 kg). Private traders are picking fresh harvest from farms. The farmers are hoping they will get a better price in the coming weeks. Besides, few individuals are pre-booking rice with farmers by paying up to ₹5,000 per quintal.To ensure uninterrupted market supply and strictly regulate consumer prices, Director of Civil Supplies, G.V. Shyam Prasad Lal, held the meeting with prominent rice millers and wholesale traders from Miryalguda, Nizamabad, and Nalgonda, in Hyderabad on Wednesday (October 28, 2026). The meeting was held a day after discussions with with rice wholesale traders and retailers in the city on Tuesday.Legal consequences for artificial scarcity or illegal hordingThe millers and traders were directed to ensure a seamless supply chain if the government were to open special distribution counters to further stabilize market rates. The administration made it clear that creating artificial scarcity or engaging in illegal hoarding will be met with legal consequences. Published - October 29, 2026 11:57 am IST