NAGAPATTINAM: Anticipating a bountiful harvest, the Agriculture Department has placed a request with the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) to open 250 direct procurement centres (DPCs) this year. On Saturday 39 DPCs were opened, and farmers have urged TNCSC to open the remaining centres before February.
Paddy has been cultivated on 1.42 lakh hectares in the district this Samba season. With 30 per cent of farmers starting harvest, the district administration opened 39 DPCs in Thirukkuvalai, Mayiladuthurai, Kuthalam, Tharangambadi and Sirkazhi Taluks. Last year, only 54 DPCs were opened due to drought.
From the data given by the Agriculture Department, DPCs were opened in Aiymoor, Anandhadhandavapuram, Ilanthoppu, Kodangudi, Manalmedu-I, Pandur, Thirumangalam, Namachivayapuram, Mekkirimangalam, Peruncheri, Vazhuvur, Palaiyur, Gangadharapuram, Komal, Thiruvalangadu, Manganallur, Vaanadhirajapuram, Nachinarkudi, Kuthalam Akkur, Eduthukkatti, Kadakkam, Keezhmathur, Keezhaiyur, Kodavilaagam, Kanjanagaram, Memathur, Sembanarkoil, Sangaranpanthal, Perampur, Thiruvilaiyattam, Kunnam, Panangaattangudi, Madhaanam, Nangur, Perumangalam, Semmangudi, Vaitheeswarankoil and Valluvakkudi on Saturday.
Reacting to the decision of Agriculture Department to open few DPCs, S Ramadoss, district secretary, Tamilaga Cauvery Vivasayigal Sangam said, “With an estimated target of 4 lakh metric tonne of food production, how the district administration can open just 39 DPCs? Of the 283 DPCs, at least 150 must have been opened by now. All the 39 DPCs were opened only in the northern part of the district. Out of the 39 DPCs, only one was opened in Thirukkuvalai Taluk in the southern region.
Though the southern parts have not started the harvest, some farmers in Kizhvelur, Nagapattinam and Vedaranyam taluks have started harvesting. If DPCs are not opened, farmers have to go to private procurers who would purchase paddy at low cost. So, the remaining DPCs should be opened within a week,” he said.
Speaking to Express, S Babu, Regional Manager of TNCSC, Nagapattinam said, “We cannot open the DPCs on our own. 250 DPCs will be opened this year as per the suggestions from Agricultural Department.
However, last year only 54 DPCs were opened and 16,000 tonnes of paddy procured. This year, we expect to procure around 4 lakh. After January 25, 60 DPCs will be opened. Following that, the remaining 151 DPCs will be opened gradually.”
When Express contacted a senior official with the Agriculture Department he said, “Since farmers in the Sirkazhi, Mayiladuthurai, Kuthalam and Tharangambadi region began their harvest, we asked TNCSC to open 39 DPCs first. In the southern region of the district, the farmers are yet to start the harvest. Definitely 250 DPCs will be opened within the end of February.”
Factoid
39
Number of DPCs opened now
250
Number of DPCs set to be opened this year
54
Number of DPCs that were
opened last year
4L metric tn
Total quantity of paddy aimed to be procured this year
16,000 tn
Total quantity of paddy procured last year