Customs Department has no role in tracing source of rice before its export from Kakinada Anchorage Port, says Commissioner

Customs Department has no role in tracing source of rice before its export from Kakinada Anchorage Port, says Commissioner. Our role begins only after the consignment enters the Customs notified area on the Anchorage Port campus, says Narasimha Reddy. He extends the department’s unconditional support to the State government in preventing the alleged illegal export of PDS rice.

Customs Commissioner (Preventive), Vijayawada, S. Narasimha Reddy, on December 3 (Tuesday) said the Customs Department had no role in tracing the source of rice before allowing it to be exported through the Kakinada Anchorage Port.

Addressing the representatives of various stakeholders during an inspection of the Kakinada Customs House, Mr. Narasimha Reddy said, “At the Anchorage Port, our role begins only after the rice enters the Customs notified area on the port’s campus.”

“However, we will extend unconditional support to the Andhra Pradesh government to prevent the illegal export of rice supplied through the Public Distribution System (PDS),” Mr. Narasimha Reddy said.

Referring to the check-posts set up in August this year, he said rice would be allowed into the port based on the NOC issued by the Civil Supplies Department.

Responding to the alleged illegal export of PDS rice from the Kakinada-based ports, Rice Exporters’ Association president B.V. Krishna Rao, while asserting that the association would not support the export of PDS rice, said they were prepared to work with the stakeholders to prevent the illegal activity.

Kakinada Anchorage Port officer Captain Dharma Sastha, Kakinada Chamber of Commerce Chairman V.V. Raghavulu, and Kakinada District Rice Millers’ Association president N. Ramakrishna were present.