A new rice processor – Sortex S Ultravision – was launched here on Sunday on the second day of the three-day Rice Tech Expo being organised by Vijayawada-based Shiny Trade Expositions.

Nick Wilkins, Director and the head of Rice Processing wing of the London-based Buhler company, said the new version of Sortex S was on display here and “we have decided to launch it here as a part of global release. We have chosen Kakinada as it is the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh and India. It is an improved version of Sortex rice processors already being used in rice mills in Andhra Pradesh and India. The new processor has higher capacity, better performance and it is simple to use.”

He said rice millers in AP and India were willing to invest in upgrading and modernising their mills, as it would be cost-effective. “Rice exports are also taking place through Kakinada port and therefore they want to provide quality rice for domestic and international markets,” he added.

D Bhaskara Reddy, President of the East Godavari Rice Millers’ Association, expressed happiness over the event taking place here and said the millers were keen on upgrading their mills and the Government and banks should provide them the requisite support.

P Pillaiyar, rice consultant from Madurai, spoke of techniques of producing parboiled rice and he said there were cost-effective methods to prepare such even without steam. The existing parboiled rice mills could install those new machines at an additional cost of ₹30-40 lakh and reap the benefit. He exhorted the rice millers to keep themselves abreast of the technological developments in the field.

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