THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The average price of rice at wholesale market in Andhra Pradesh is Rs 32.50. The maximum price in the retail market is Rs 35. The retail market price of local Jaya rice in Kerala is Rs 60. The wholesale market price of first quality Jaya rice in the state yesterday was Rs 58.50. Rs 59 for Matta Vadi rice.

A kilogram of rice from the AP markets reaches the Chala market in Thiruvananthapuram at a cost of Rs 3.85, including delivery charge. 30 paise for loading and unloading. The total additional cost is Rs 4.15. When rice is bought at Rs 35 and delivered here, the price it should be made available in the wholesale market is Rs 39.15. But Rs 19.35 are additionally charged and the fraud by the wholesalers in Andhra and the middlemen who bring the rice to Kerala is behind this.

Duplicate Jaya rice

In 2017, the state government realized that the rice coming from Andhra Pradesh as Jaya rice is actually Bondalu, a rice variety that does not have much demand there. In July 2017, the then Food Minister P Thilothaman and his team went to buy Jaya rice directly from Andhra on behalf of the Civil Supplies Corporation. When he asked for Jaya rice from the then Deputy Chief Minister KE Krishnamurthy and others, he came to know that Jaya rice is not being cultivated there after 1965. When a sample of the 'Jaya' rice obtained here was brought there, they realized that it was Bondalu and a variant of the old IR8. Still, the duplicate Jaya rice is sold here. Apart from Andhra Jaya, Punjab Jaya and Karnataka Jaya rice are now available in the Kerala market. Average price is Rs 40. They are low demand rice in both the states.