THANJAVUR: Moisture content norms, transportation costs and purported graft in the direct procurement centres (DPCs) have pushed farmers in the district to prefer private traders over DPCs to sell summer paddy or early kuruvai crop.
According to officials, summer paddy and early kuruvai crop cultivated on 14,000 hectares have been harvested so far in the district. The farmers have started selling it. “I sold paddy harvested in my field at the rate of Rs 1,200 per 60 kg to private traders, which is Rs 80 less than what DPCs offer,” says S Sivakumar, a farmer from Manathidal.
“Private traders procure paddy even if the moisture content is more than 17%, while at DPC the fixed moisture content norm is being followed,” adds Sivakumar. A K R Ravichander of Ammayagaram, another farmer, told TNIE that farmers from villages such as Ilangadu, Tiruchenampoondi, Nagathi, Kandamangalam and Varahur have also been opting for private traders. Unlike the trend in the past few years, private traders have approached the farmers, seeking to purchase paddy crops from the fields themselves, said farmers.