Ludhiana, Nov. 9 -- As the paddy procurement season nears its end, rice millers in Ludhiana have raised alarm over the deteriorating quality of grain arriving at their units. They say a significant portion of the crop is damaged, discoloured, or affected by fungus, which is likely to result in poor quality rice and a lower yield this year.

Millers cautioned that storing such damaged paddy could further compromise both the quality and quantity of rice produced. They warned that the out-turn ratio (OTR), the amount of rice obtained from every 100 kilograms of paddy is likely to fall well below the standard level. The situation, they added, has been aggravated by the Centre's delay in relaxing quality norms, leaving them uncertain about how...