May 2025 Miller of the Month: Abhishek Agarwal – Director of Shyamatara Rice Mills, India
1. What inspired Shyamatara Rice Mills to venture into fortified rice production?
Shyamatara Rice Mills (P) Limited has played a pivotal role in improving the nutrition space of the people of West Bengal since 2005. Our family being present in the rice milling industry for the past 47 years has adopted and understood the needs of the market as and when the market demanded a change. With the food quality being deteriorated day by day, our focus changed to how we can provide nutrition through supply of fortified rice in the open market in West Bengal in the variant which is most consumed by the people of Eastern part of India.
2. Can you share the challenges and successes you’ve faced during the launch of Bengal Crown Fortified Rice?
Our venture into fortified rice in West Bengal was a decision made consciously over the past 6 months after realizing the true need of the product in the open market. Being one of the first movers in West Bengal for this product, our main challenge was to ensure our marketing is such that we are able to convince the consumers about the importance of Fortified Rice and how just by adding it in your daily diet, there is a stark difference in their vitamins, zinc and Iron Levels which are crucial in the overall health for a human.
3. How do you see fortified rice contributing to addressing micronutrient deficiencies in West Bengal?
Fortified Rice has already been quite a success story for the Indian Government ever since it has been implemented in the rice supplied for the Public Distribution System. Almost 65% Indians consume PDS supplied fortified rice in India. Our focus is on the remaining 35%. Almost 1/3rd of the population being exposed to malnutrition because of non consumption of fortified rice is a huge number. We can surely address low Iron and Vitamin levels strongly as it is the most economical way of getting a balanced diet across all socio-economic groups.
4. What role do you think millers play in ensuring nutrition security, and how can we collaborate further?
Millers play a very crucial role in ensuring nutrition security for all as the Government has trusted the milling stage in the whole cycle to ensure true and fair fortification of staples. We as millers have to ensure we are able to keep the Government’s trust. In the future, we can collaborate with NGOs, Government agencies and industrial bodies to ensure fortification is understood and accepted by every consumer.
5. Looking ahead, what are your plans for expanding fortified rice production and distribution?
We have already introduced fortified rice across most varieties of non basmati rice processed by us and most of the products are available on E- commerce platforms like Amazon and Flipkart. Going forward, we envision that fortified rice will be accepted at such levels in the open market that there will be only fortified rice production and distribution across all variants processed by us.
6. Any message for our readers, particularly those interested in nutrition and fortification?
The whole community collectively has to ensure acceptability of fortified staples across all consumer levels. Consumer awareness holds the key to ensure success of this dietary change in our daily lives which we want to bring. There is a vey big opportunity for fortified staples if marketed well and accepted by consumers. Entry of more and established players will only help in achieving the motto of bringing fortified food in every plate across the globe.
