TIRUCHY: Owing to poor yield and short arrivals from the neighbouring states of Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka, the price of rice, which has already gone high, is expected to go higher in the coming days with an increase of at least Rs 10 to 15 per kg across the state.

Several rice mills are functioning in Manachanallur, Ariyamangalam, Manikandam, Lalgudi and Kattur in Tiruchy district and traders who procure paddy from delta districts as well as from other states like Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for hulling and supply them to the traders.

The fine rice varieties like Ponni were sold up to Rs 74 per kg last week, sold between Rs 78 and 80 this week, while the matta rice variety, which was sold at Rs 76 per kg last week, has been sold at Rs 84 this week.

Similarly, the premium variety seeraga samba, which was sold between Rs 120 and 150 per kg until last week, is sold between Rs 165 and 200 per kg this week.

Traders said that the short supply from the local market would be compensated with the arrival of paddy from the neighbouring states like Karnataka, Andhra and Telangana, but this time, these states had reduced the quantity to Tamil Nadu as the local demand was high this time.

The mill owners said that they failed to receive supply from the neighbouring states since November last year. “Probably the big farmers might have stocked paddy anticipating higher prices in the coming days,” K Vathilingam, a mill owner from Manachanallur, claimed.