TIRUCHY: Kuruvai farmers in the district have alleged that paddy procurement in the district is yet to start and complained of a lack of response from the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) in this regard.
Sources said farmers in many villages, including Lalgudi, Sembarai, Thinniyam, Anbil, Mettupatti, K Kanaga Ramaraja puram and Ariyur have been piling up their harvest due to the alleged non-functioning of Direct Procurement Centres (DPC) in the respective villages. M Chinnadurai, a farmer from Lalgudi, said, "The delay in the opening of DPCs has adversely affected us.
We cannot depend on private entities due to the less prices they charge for paddy." A Vetrivel, another farmer, said, "The recent rains have already caused enough damage and the MET has predicted heavy rains in the coming days.
So, paddy procurement should start at the earliest." An official from the agriculture department said, "DPCs should have been opened at least ten days before. If then, around 500 to 600 hectares of paddy would have been harvested by now.
Also, DPCs charge Rs 1,290 per 60 kg bag, while private entities mark the price at Rs 1100. This is why we have been waiting for the DPCs to start functioning. Though around 15 DPCs have been officially opened, they are yet to start functioning." M Balamurugan, the regional manager of the TNCSC in Tiruchy, told TNIE,
"We have opened 18 DPCs, out of which 10 are ready to start procurement. There has been no delay from our side. The department has also sent ten harvest machines." However, sources said that the whole process is being carried out abysmally.