Andhra Pradesh govt. to launch QR-coded rice bags to honour farmers, ensure transparency

The Andhra Pradesh government has introduced a novel initiative to recognise and respect farmers by printing QR codes on every rice bag, enabling consumers to know who cultivated the crop and where it was grown, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar said on Monday.

Speaking at a review meeting on paddy procurement at the Collectorate in Nellore, he said rice grown in SPSR Nellore district would be supplied to about 41,000 schools and over 400 welfare hostels across the State. With QR codes on the bags, students will be able to identify the farmers behind the food they consume. He said Andhra Pradesh would be the first State in the country to implement such a model and expressed confidence that it would serve as a benchmark for others.

The Minister said that since the coalition government assumed office, 75,000 tonnes of paddy had been procured in Nellore district. A target of two lakh tonnes has been set for the current season, of which over 60,000 tonnes has already been procured. At the State level, procurement during the Kharif season has reached 51 lakh tonnes.

Earlier in the day, he inspected procurement operations in Kovur and Sarvepalli constituencies, interacting with farmers to understand their concerns. He later held a three-hour review meeting with rice millers, farmers and district officials at the Collectorate.

Mr. Manohar urged millers to cooperate with the government and avoid causing inconvenience to farmers. He noted issues related to availability of vehicles for paddy transport and shortage of gunny bags, and directed officials and stakeholders to work together to address them.