Agriculture is the basis for the survival of mankind. We can't live without food. Till half a century ago, rice cultivation was going on well in Kerala. People used to get the rice they needed from within the state. With the advent of industrialization, rice cultivation slowed down and then almost came to a halt. Had the use of machines for rice cultivation not been prevented, agriculture in Kerala would have progressed with time. As paddy farmers started incurring losses, everyone stopped farming and started buying rice from Andhra and Tamil Nadu. Although machinery can be now used in agriculture, it seems that no one wants to go back to agriculture.

Kuttanad and Palakkad are the two places in Kerala where rice is still produced. The agriculture department has announced several schemes to help the paddy farmers. While some of these schemes have been implemented, others are yet to be implemented. The news of farmers in Kuttanad burning piles of paddy to protest against the delay in procurement during the rainy season is repeated every year. It is the Civil Supplies Corporation that procures paddy from farmers. They will then hand over the paddy to private mills. It is the private mills that return it as rice. As per the agreement between the corporation and the mills, 68 kg of rice should be returned for 100 kg of paddy.

The government decided to start rice mills in Kuttanad and Alathur in Palakkad to reduce the exploitation of the farmers by the private mills. 54 lakh rupees was spent on rice mills in Kuttanad. The authorities had boasted that 1000 people will get jobs directly and 500 people indirectly. However, despite its inauguration in 2000, the Thakazhi Modern Rice Mill did not function for a single day. In 2007, an attempt was made to renovate the mill and reopen it. However, not even a single grain of rice has come out of this rice mill till now. Farmers are alleging that the large private mills operating mainly in Aluva and Perumbavoor colluded with the politicians to sabotage the project. The mill started in Alathur was also shut down after a few months of operation. It is alleged that private mill owners operating in Palakkad and Tamil Nadu were behind this. Now, new machines have to be purchased to operate these two mills. Buildings should be modernized and skilled workers should be found. The government can run these mills if it has the will to defeat those who try to shut down these mills. Agriculture Minister P Prasad has said that a meeting will be held to discuss how the project can be implemented. Let us hope that both the rice mills will start functioning during the tenure of this fully committed minister.