Kakinada, December 21, 2024: The illegal activities of the ration mafia in Kakinada have been manipulating systems for years, with investigations revealing a vast network spanning districts, states, and even international borders. Despite ongoing criticism of Kakinada’s ports over the past five years, the previous government took no action. However, after the coalition government took charge, the illegal ration rice trade began to unravel, with rice being supplied from 137 mills to exporters in Kakinada.
Minister Nadendla Manohar revealed that in the past three fiscal years, Kakinada Port exported 1.31 million tonnes of rice worth ₹48,537 crore, with a significant portion allegedly being ration rice. Investigations are ongoing to determine the full extent of illegal exports. Exports are happening at both the government-controlled Kakinada Anchorage Port and the private Deep Water Port, with a CID inquiry underway due to complaints about forcible share transfers at the Deep Water Port.
From 2019-20 to 2023-24, Kakinada Anchorage Port saw the export of 1.55 crore tonnes of various goods, including rice. However, from 2022-23, only rice exports have been recorded. The Deep Water Port, which has also been involved in exporting and importing a range of goods, began rice exports in 2021 under the then YSRCP government. The full scale of rice exports in the past five years is still under investigation.
