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Causes of Spatio -Temporal Variations of Rice Mill Concentration in Purba

Bardhaman District, West Bengal, India

Article · February 2020

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International Journal of Scientific Research and Review ISSN NO: 2279-543X

Causes of Spatio - Temporal Variations of Rice Mill

Concentration in Purba Bardhaman District, West
Bengal, India
Chanchal Kumar Dey1, Tapas Mistri2

1. Assistant Teacher of Khorsee Maganpur High School, Vill+P.O-Khorsee, P.O-Indas, Dist- Bankura, Pin-722201,
WB.

2. Assistant Professor,The University of Burdwan, WB.

1. [Link]-chanchaldeygeo@[Link] 2. [Link]-tapasam76@[Link]

Abstract - Industrial development of a country not only depends on technological innovation and capital overflow, but also it requires cheap
& optimum availability of raw materials and encouraging infrastructural facilities. Agro-based industry like rice milling is one of the most
important raw materials based industry directly linked to the agricultural production.

Indian agriculture has been going toward dietetic diversification due to rapid economic expansion, increasing per-capita income, rapid
urbanization and women participation in different type of activities. That’s why India is going toward increasing diversification of agro-
based industries. Rice is the staple food crop for most of the Indian. Rice is the primary processed product from paddy and this is further
processed for obtaining various secondary and tertiary products.

Undivided Burdwan district was known as ‘rice bowl of West Bengal’ and major of the part is now lies in Purba Bardhaman district. Purba
Bardhaman district produced 9.97 percentage of Bengal’s rice production. Though rice milling is the oldest and largest agro-based industries
in undivided Burdwan and now as Purba Bardhaman district. The study is analyses rice milling concentration and spatio-temporal variation
of rice mills in Purba Bardhaman district. The study is based on mainly secondary data. Data have been collected from relevant sources and
which have compiled and supporting field visit have done for verification. On the basis of 2015 data base there are 410 rice mills are situated
in the district and the highest number of rice mills are found in Khandoghosh(61) C. D block due to high rice crop concentration and
favorable infrastructural development.

Key wards: Agro-based industry, Rice mills, Concentration, location quotient, Causes, Growth rate, Problems,
recommendations.

I. Introduction:

Agriculture is the foundation of Indian economy. Actually India is the second largest producer of food in the world. Union minister
in charge for agriculture shri Radha Mohan Singh (2016) said that “India has been transformed from a food deficient country to
a food exporting country about the last six decades”. Besides “World Food India 2017” was arranged by food processing ministry
for farmer’s double income and make food processing industries eye-catching for investment (Sirohi, 2018). In true sence an
extended arm of agriculture is developed by the agro-industrial linkage. It is mainly comprises the combined post harvest activities
of processing, preparation and preservation for intermediate or final consumption that helps development and poverty remission
of our country. Hsu (1997) has explained that agro-industry is an industry that uses agricultural output as a raw material in its
production process. The agro based industry makes evidential farm-industrial linkage that provides accelerated agricultural
development which will improve both social and physical infrastructure of India that would influence diversification and
commercialization of agriculture by creating backward and forward linkages and also adding employment opportunities that will
stabilize and more lucrative farm production, increasing cultivator net income both at the production and marketing stage. Among
them having large multiplier value were the edible oil, leather finishing and rice milling, ata & flour milling and fish processing
(Quddus, 2009).

Undivided Burdwan district was known as ‘Granary of Bengal’ but now Purba Bardhaman is in leading position among districts
of West Bengal. Actually bulk of it was produced and still been producing in what is now Purba Bardhaman district. All leading
crops produced here especially rice production is the highest among the district of Bengal. That why different types of agro-based
industries have developed in Purba Bardhaman district like rice milling , paper milling , jute milling, edible oil, ata & flour

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milling, bamboo crafts, basket, floriculture, mushroom, cottage textile, diary , duckery, poultry, jam, jelly etc. Among these, rice
milling is oldest and significant agro-based industry in Purba Bardhaman district.

Johnston and Mellor (1961) have examined that healthy agricultural sector can be created by rising productivity with the help of
new technology that would be reduced the input usage and production costs and increase receipts. Utilization of rice for food
purpose embraces milling of paddy to remove the husk, bran and germ from the surface of the grain. Rice milling is the one of
the major industries in Purba Bardhaman district. This district is popular as rice production of Bengal especially due to production
of long grain aromatic world popular basmati rice ‘Badshabhog’. The first rice mill in Burdwan started in 1918 i.e., Bhubaneswar
rice mill in Alamgangj, Burdwan. According to unspecified sources Bhadreswar rice mill is the influential rice mill in India. The
general history of rice milling once developed on the ruins of age-old cottage industries which were converted into the rice milling
industry that had been improving social and economical significance during last 5-6 decades. Favorable conditions regarding
labour availability mainly women labours, raw materials (rice) purchasing with paddy merchants and brokers and overall
infrastructural development helped to the growth of rice milling industries. This paper is trying to chalk out the variations of rice
milling concentration in blocks level and overall changing growth rate of rice milling industries in Purba Bardhaman district and
probable causes of such changed.

Chinnadurai (2018) said that a situational change in the agricultural sector that is positive or negative has a multiplier effect on
the whole economy. Paramasivam (2016) explains agricultural and industries both are unabated component of the development
system due to their mutual connection as agriculture provides inputs to the industry and output of the industry is used in agriculture
to expand production. Khosla (2013) has examined that agro-based industries are observed as a noteworthy link between
agriculture and industry which can solve inherent problems existing in the Indian agriculture. Dhiman and [Link] (2011) have
described agro-based industry is now called sunrise sectors of Indian economy in regards of its large prospective for increasing
growth and likely socio-economic impact specially on employment and income generation. Ambidatta (2015) has said that India
is one of the largest producers of food and also milk, tea and sugarcane. Besides second largest producer of rice, wheat and
vegetable thus agro-based industries is developed that improves income and employment of agriculture linkage sector. Lancon
[Link] (2009) highlights the poor quality of domestic rice is primarily due to poor postharvest handling of rice especially at the
milling system that determines the quality. Tokida and et. Al (2014) have explained that to improve the quality of domestic rice
produced and sold in the market. At the first point in the upstream of the postharvest marketing chains, rice mill hold the key
position in the improvement of rice quality in sub Saharan Africa. Goyel & et. al (2014) have observed that rice milling industries
use different types of energy pattern like thermal, mechanical, electrical and human energy. The important utilities in a rice mill
are water, air, stream, electricity and labour. Singh (2013) highlights on location factor of rice mills in an industrial cluster which
emerges due to cluster persuasive to contribute in quality management of rice mills. Singh (2013) suggested a cluster policy brings
additional positive effect to existing small enterprises such as rice milling located in a cluster. Chattopadhayay and et. al (2011)
highlights on Burdwan district has the highest modern rice mills in West Bengal, followed by Hooghly and Birbhum district.
Burdwan district hosts nearly 43% of all rice mills in West Bengal.

[Link] Area:

The study area covers Purba Bardhaman district in West Bengal. It has come into existence on 7 April 2017, after bifurcation of
erstwhile Burdwan district and its head quarters is Bardhaman. Purba Bardhaman is an agriculturally prosperous district of West
Bengal. This part of the West Bengal is traditionally familiar as the agriculturally developed is known as the ‘granary of the West
Bengal’. The study area extended from 22˚15´08˝N to 23˚15´17˝N latitudes and 87˚13´17˝E to 88˚7´22˝E longitudes. It contain
an area 5432.69 (2097.57 sq miles) as ascertained by the bifurcation, and population (according to 2011 census) is 4835532,
density of population is 890/ .The district lies mainly between the river Ajoy, the Bhagirathi and the Damodar .It bounded on
the north by Birbhum district and Murshidabad district, on the east by Hooghly district, on the south by Hooghly-Bankura district
and west by the Paschim Bardhaman district. (Map no.1)

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Systems of rice processing in the rice milling industries as follows:

Husking
Pre - De-stoning Parboiling
cleaning (optional)

Husk Aspiration
Whitening Paddy Separation
Polishing

Packaging
Length Grading Blending Weighting

Marketing Transporting

Source: Compiled by authors

[Link]:

The present studies have been done to achieve following objectives:

A. To explain spatio-temporal variation of rice milling concentration and causes of such concentration.
B. To describe changing trends of rice milling growth rate.

[Link] Base:

The present study is based on mainly secondary data. Data has been collected from following sources

 District Industrial Centre (DIC), Purba Bardhaman.

 District Controller (DC) of food and supplier, Purba Bardhaman.
 Rice milling owner association, Purba Bardhaman
 District statistical hand book in 2015, Burdwan district
 Office of the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Purba Bardhaman
 Interviews of selected rice millers in selected blocks in Purba Bardhaman district.
The period of 1980-2015 has taken to show the spatio-temporal variations of rice mills of the study area.

[Link]:

The present study possesses of following component of research methodology

 Blocks wise rice milling data have been computed

 Data have been compiled and calculated on the basis of milling growth rate and milling concentration
 Q-GIS and Statistical tools have been used to show the spatio-temporal variation of rice milling development in Purba
Bardhaman district.

Several techniques have been used by different workers such as Florence (1948), Chisholm (1992), Bhatia (1956) and Jasbir Singh
(1976). But in this paper location quotient process has been applied to rice milling concentration on the basis of paddy production
rate and numbers of mills

Formula: .
÷

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[Link]:

Result has been discussed in two ways as below:

A. Overall changing scenario of rice milling industries:

Paddy is main crop of the district. It covers 9.97% of Bengal production. Actually rice mills are oldest and significant agro-based
industry in the district. First of all rice mill was established nearly in 1918 at Alamganj in Burdwan district (DC of food, Purba
Bardhaman). From available collected data it is observed that 31 rice mills were established at the end of 1979 and from 1980 to
1989nearly 27 new mills were constructed, followed by 1990 to 1999 it was 46, 2000 to 2009 it was 134 and 2010 to 2015 it was
nearly 199. At the end of 2015 the total numbers of rice mill were observed about 437. Among them, highest rice mills were
established in between 2010 to 2015 due to high rice production & yield rate are increasing tendencies, developed road and
transport facilities, clusters of milling industries, as a profitable agro-industrial business, government subsidy and over all
infrastructural facilities helped to rapid grow the rice mills in Purba Bardhaman district.
It is observed that most of the rice mills are consenting the both side of the Damodar River mainly in Khandoghosh is 61, Raina-
I ( 46), Burdwan-I (35), Burdwan municipality area (33), Galsi-I (32) ,Raina-II is nearly 30 and Memari-II (30) on the basis of
2015 data. (See table .1 & 2 and Fig no.1)

Table no.2 Rice milling concentration in the both side of the Damodar River area

Name of block No of Rice mill Percentage( in respect of district’s

total mills)
Khandoghosh 61 14.88
Raina-I 46 11.21
Bardhaman-I 35 8.54
Bardhaman municipality area 33 8.05
Galsi-I 32 7.80
Raina-II 30 7.32
Memari-II 30 7.32
Total 267 54.23
Source: District controller of food & supply, Purba Bardhaman (compiled by authors)

The main causes of such concentration are: - construction of Krishok setu in 1973, abolition of cordon system, developed road
connectivity mainly Arambag-Bardhaman road and NH-2 ,very high rice crop concentration(Dey & Mistri,2018), subsidiary
industrial location, well developed rice trading marketing, increasing demand of packaged rice and worldwide demand of
aromatic rice which have mainly concentrated in Raina and Khandoghosh C.D blocks.

Though most amount of paddy are imported from Bankura, Purulia, East & West Medinipur, Hooghly, Howrah, Maldha,
Murshidabad and South & North 24 pargana district. But aromatic rice is totally produced in the locality mainly in Raina &
Khandoghosh C.D blocks.
An interesting thing is that agricultural development of those afore mentioned districts are also acting as the boosting factor of
rice milling industries in Purba Bardhaman district. Paddy are imported from those districts and reach there as final product i.e.,
in the form of packaged rice. Other blocks are observed medium to low rice milling concentration but increasing tendencies is
also observed.

On the basis rice mill’s growth rate, from above data it is clear that highest milling growth rate is observed 73.00% in 2010-15
(only five year’s growth). It is further observed that after the end of 1979, the milling growth rate is spontaneous increasing up to
2015. The main causes of that increasing growth are overall infrastructural development, increasing paddy production and yield
rate, strong organization, advantages of large scale economy, nearest location of subsidiary industries or by products based
industrial location, sustainability of profit, local entrepreneurial management, developed road & transport facilities.(See Table
no.3 & Fig no.2)

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Table no.3 Growth rate of rice milling industries

Year Total rice mill Growth rate (%)

1979 31 -
1989 58 87.10
1999 104 79.31
2009 237 127.88
2015 (five year growth) 410 73.00
(Compiled by authors)

From table no. 1 &2 it is clear that only Burdwan municipality area has recorded decreasing growth rate up to year 2009 due to
unavailability of land & very high purchasing rate, political disturbance etc. But in between the period of 2010 to 15 the growth
rate is again showing increasing tendencies. Another interesting fact is that first time, new rice mills have established in
Ausgram-II, Kalna-II, Purbasthali-I C.D blocks due to availability of raw material (paddy), government initiative and overall
infrastructural development. That means the rice milling industries have been diversified. (See table no. 1)

B. Rice milling concentration: On the basis of rice milling concentration Purba Bardhaman district can be classified into five
zones. The concentration of rice mill has been calculated on the basis of total rice mills and total paddy production. The zones
are as follows: (See Table no .1 & Map no.2)

1. Very low milling concentration zone (0.06-0.62): This scenario is observed in only twelve blocks. These are Bhatar,
Jamalpur, Mongolkote, Ketugram-I&II, Katwa-I&II, Purbasthali-I&II, Kalna-I&II, Monteswar etc C.D blocks due to
infrastructural deficiency, others agro based industrial growths than that of rice mills
2. Low milling concentration zone (0.62-1.19): It is observed Ausgram-I&II, Memari-I and Galsi-II etc C.D blocks
3. Medium milling concentration (1.19-1.75): It is found only three C.D blocks. These are Bardhaman-II, Memari-II,
Raina-II etc C.D blocks.
4. High milling concentration zone (1.75-2.32): It is seen in Galsi-I and Bardhaman-I C.D blocks.
5. Very high concentration zone (2.32-2.88): This scenario is observed only two C.D blocks. These are Khandoghosh and
Raina-I C.D etc blocks. (See Fig no.1)

[Link]:
Agriculture & industry have traditionally been viewed as two separate sectors, on the basis of general characteristic but both of
them perform their role in economic development of the country. The rice milling industry in undivided Burdwan district now
in Purba Bardhaman district has developed at a remarkable pace since the early 1980s. The high profitability of the rice milling
business and a low entry barrier has attracted entrepreneurs from various social circles. The high quality and availability of rice
in Purba Bardhaman district are the most significant factor for the industrial concentration in the district.

From above analysis it is clear that changing trends of rice milling growth rate is increasing due to mainly infrastructural
development, increasing worldwide demands, availability of raw material, advantages of large scale economics, local
entrepreneurial management etc. Another interesting fact is that very high rice to medium milling concentration is observed in
the both side of the Damodar river, mainly C.D blocks of Khandoghosh, Raina -I, Galsi-I, Bardhaman-I & II and Memari-II etc
(See Table no.1 & Fig no.1). This is the most important clusters of the rice milling industries where out of 410 nearly 237 mills
have situated due to easy transportation, local as well as national & international markets, availability of raw material and power
supply, overall infrastructural development. District’s rice mills have suffering many problems. If this problems are minimized
with proper initiative in future this district will show the new pathways of rice milling industry and sustainability in the state and
county as well.

[Link] & Recommendations:

A. Technological problems: old-age rice mills are using traditional technology and have installed local machinery.
Though modern rice mills are installing automatic/ semi automatic machinery i.e., urgently needed.
B. Infrastructural deficiency: many areas have infrastructural deficiency mainly betterment of road transport facilities,
regularity of power supply and land acquisition etc.

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C. Entrepreneurship and management: most of the entrepreneurs are of second generation so, they influenced by their
ancestor and also they managed their business in traditional way but they are needed to induce modern management
techniques.
D. Effluent element of rice mills creates water, air & land pollution. It is to be checked; otherwise it will create serious
environmental problems.
E. Marketing problems: most of the units did not exporting capacity, thus they depends on procuring agencies / central
pool for the purpose of worldwide exporting. But they are supplying rice to local marketing and government needed.
F. Presence of middle man for purchasing paddy to the controlled for the sake of the farmers.
G. Human resources development and relevant training for management of mills is also an important issue.

Selected Reference:

1. P. Ambidattu, “An analysis of performance of agro based industries in Kerala with special reference to cashew nut”. Indian Journal of Economic and
Development, 2015, [3], vol.3 no.12, pp. 1-5.

2. K. S .Chattopadhayay and D. Roy, “Hulling and milling ratio in major paddy growing states: West Bengal”. Agro Economic Research Centre, Viswa-
Bharati Shantiniketan. , [1], 2011

3. M. Chinnadurai and et. al., “Allied sector as catalyst of economic growth”. Kurukshetra, ,[3], vol. 66 no. 6, pp. 9-13, 2018

4. P.K. Dhiman and A Ram, “Problems and prospects of small scale agro-based industries an analysis of Patiala District”. International Journal of
Multidisciplinary Research, [3], 2011, vol. 1 no. 4, pp 129-142

5. District Statistical Hand Book, Burdwan district. Bureau of Applied Economics & Statistics, Government of West Bengal, 2015, [2]

6. S.K. Goyal, “Energy use pattern in rice mill industries-A critical appraisal”. Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2014, [3], vol. 51, no.11, pp. 2907-
2016.

7. S. Hsu, “The agro-industries: A neglected aspect of the location theory of manufacturing”. Journal of Regional Sciences, [3], 1997, vol. 37, pp. 259-274.

8. B. Johnston and J. Mellor, “The role of agriculture in economic development”. American Economic Review, 1961, [2], 1961, 51: 566-593

9. F. Lancon and et. al., “Quality and competitiveness of local and imported rice on West African urban markets”. Cahiers Agric, 2009, [3], vol. 13 no. 1, pp.
110-115

10. R. Khosla, “Inter industry differences in efficiency of agro-processing industries in Indian states”. International Journal of Arts and Commerce, 2013, [3],
vol. 1, no. 3, pp. 1-21

11. C. Paramasivam and R. Pasupati, “Performance of agro based industries in India”. National Journal of Advance Research, 2016, [3], vol. 2, no. 6, pp. 25-
28

12. J. C. K. Peterson, Bengal district gazetteers, Burdwan. Government of West Bengal, 1997, [2]

13. A. Quddus, “Role of agro- based industry in Bangladesh economy: An empirical analysis of linkages and multipliers”. Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural
Economics, 2009, [3], vol. XXXII, no. 1, pp. 31-48

14. A.K. Singh, “Critical success factors of rice mills location in a cluster”. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 2013, [3],
vol. 62, no. 6, pp. 616-633.

15. A.K. Singh, “Quality management practices in a rice mill location in a cluster: A case study”. International Journal of Quality and Innovation, 2013, [3],
vol. 2, no. 2, pp. 120-137

16. N. Sirohi, Doubling Farmers Income. Kurukshetra, 2018, [2], vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 5-11

17. K. Tokida, and et. al., “Evaluation and prospects of the rice mill industries in Uganda”. African Journal of Agricultural Research, 2014, [3], vol. 9 no. 33,
pp. 2560-2573

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(Map no.1) Location map of the study area (Purba Bardhaman District)

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Map no.2 Blocks Wise Rice Milling Concentration in Purba Bardhaman District

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Table no.1 Block wise distribution of rice mills and its concentration value in Purba Bardhaman district
[Link] Name of the block Before 1980 1980-89 1990-99 2000-09 2010-15 Total concentration value
1 Bardhaman-I 3 3 5 14 11 37 2.07
2 Bardhaman-II 1 2 4 6 13 26 1.7

3 Bardhaman-Municipality 12 2 3 5 11 33 N.A
4 Ausgram-I 3 Nil 1 4 4 12 0.85
5 Ausgram-II Nil Nil Nil Nil 10 10 0.67
6 Bhatar Nil Nil 2 3 11 16 0.5
7 Galsi-I 1 3 3 6 19 32 1.9
8 Galsi-II 1 1 4 7 10 23 1.14
9 Jamalpur 1 Nil 1 2 4 8 0.53
10 Memari-I 1 Nil 1 2 6 10 0.79
11 Memari-II Nil Nil 5 9 16 30 1.56
12 Khandoghosh 1 5 3 28 24 61 2.86
13 Raina-I 5 5 4 23 9 46 2.88
14 Raina-II 1 2 4 12 11 31 1.56
15 Kalna-I Nil 1 1 2 2 6 0.38
16 Kalna-II Nil Nil Nil Nil 2 2 0.16
17 Monteswar Nil Nil 2 2 6 10 0.29
18 Purbasthali-I Nil Nil Nil Nil 1 1 0.07
19 Purbasthali-II Nil Nil Nil 2 1 3 0.37
20 Katwa-I 1 2 2 2 Nil 7 0.46
21 Katwa-II Nil Nil 1 1 Nil 2 0.15
22 Mongolkote Nil 1 Nil 1 Nil 2 0.06
23 Ketugram-I Nil Nil Nil 1 2 3 0.17
24 Ketugram-II Nil Nil Nil 1 1 2 0.15
Total 31 27 46 133 160 410
Sources:[Link] Controller of food & supply, Purba Bardhaman, (Compiled by authors)

ii. District Industrial Centre (DIC), Purba Bardhaman.

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Fig no. 1 Showing percentage of rice milling concentration in the Damodar basin area of Purba Bardhaman district

Pie chart showing high rice milling concentration area

Raina-II
11% Memari-II
Khandoghosh
11%
23%

Galsi-I
12% Raina-I
Bardhaman- 17%
municipality Bardhaman-I
13% 13%

Fig no.2 showing rice milling growth rate in between 1980 to 2015 of Purba Bardhaman District

Growth rate of rice mills in Purba Bardhaman district

140
2009, 127.88
percentages of growth rate

120
100
80 1989, 86.1
1999, 79.31
2015, 73
60 Series1
40
20
0
1980 1990 2000 2010 2020
Year

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