TIRUNELVELI: Paddy farmers in Kalakkad region have urged officials of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation to increase the daily limit of procurement from 800 sacks to 2,000, as unseasonal rainfall in the region has destroyed a portion of their produce. Some farmers were seen storing their paddy in front of a public toilet of the Kalakkad municipality owing to lack of storage facilities and tarpaulin sheets.
Speaking to TNIE, farmers said the Direct Purchase Centre (DPC) in Vadamalai Samuthiram was set up on February 26. "Farmers have sold thousands of sacks of paddy at this centre since its inauguration. However, since the staff accept only 800 sacks (41 kg per sack) a day, farmers are forced to leave their produce in the open outside the DPC. The unseasonal rainfall on Monday evening destroyed a portion of our paddy," the farmers said. Some of the farmers have been waiting for more than 15 days for their paddy to be procured.
"While paddy is priced at only Rs 19 per kg in the open market, the DPC offers Rs 25. However, there is risk of our paddy getting destroyed if left in the open," a farmer said.
When contacted, a TNCSC official said he had instructed staff to increase the daily procurement limit and had also sent four additional trucks to transport the procured paddy to godowns. "All the pending paddy sacks will be produced by Wednesday morning," he added.
The unseasonal rainfall also uprooted around 25,000 banana trees in the region. Farmers have sought compensation from the authorities concerned.