NAGAPATTINAM/MAYILADUTHURAI: A three-member team deputed by the Union government to assess crop damage in the delta region following unseasonal rain earlier this month inspected harvested paddy at direct purchase centres (DPCs) in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts on Wednesday.
The team representing the Union Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution took stock of the situation following the state government recently writing to the Centre seeking relaxation of moisture content for paddy procurement to 22% as against the stipulated 17% in view of the rain damage.
The team comprising Quality Control Cell (QCC) technical officers C Yunus, P Prabhakaran and Y Boya inspected the DPCs in various villages like Thalaignayiru, Kanjanagaram, Valivalam, Pattamangalam and Enangudi in Nagapattinam district. In Mayiladuthurai district, they inspected the DPCs at Mangainallur, Sembanarkoil, Vaitheeswarankoil, Ananthathandavapuram and Moovalur.
At the DPCs, the team collected samples of paddy, measured parameters such as its moisture content, grain size and colour on the spot. They also collected samples for conducting further studies at Food Corporation of India (FCI)’s regional laboratory. The officials said a consolidated report on the inspection would be submitted to the ministry.
Further, farmers met the central team at the DPCs and requested them to urge the Union government to procure their paddy without considering moisture content norms. Collectors A Arun Thamburaj and AP Mahabharathi guided the farmers to the DPCs in Nagapattinam and Mayiladuthurai districts respectively.