MADURAI/RAMANATHAPURAM: Although farmers have welcomed the State government’s announcement increasing paddy procurement price, farmers from Madurai and Ramanathapuram are disappointed as they were hoping the procurement price to be Rs 2,500 per quintal as promised during the election.
At the same time, experts have stated that the increase in prices is likely to increase procurement in Ramanathapuram this season as the civil supplies department has sent a proposal for opening more than 100 direct procurement centers in the district, which is twice than last year. The chief minister had announced prices for the upcoming procurement season 2022 - 23 to Rs 2,160 per quintal for fine variety and Rs 2,115 per quintal for bold variety.
The prices have increased by Rs 100 and Rs 75 per quintal respectively and is expected to come into effect from September. M Gavaskar, farmer from Ramanathapuram, said that farmers in the district will make a profit of around Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 with the new procurement prices.
“If farmers get around 30 - 35 bags of paddy harvested in an acre, farmers will get approximately Rs 40,000 - Rs 45,000 per acre. After deducting Rs 30,000 - Rs 35,000 spent for expenses, farmers will get a profit of Rs 5,000 - Rs 10,000 per acre,” he said.
“Though we appreciate the TN government for increasing the prices, we request the government to consider increasing the paddy prices to Rs 25 - Rs 30 per kg which could provide a profitable season for the farmers,” Gavaskar added.
“We are disappointed by the TN government’s announcement about increasing paddy procurement prices by just Rs 100. The DMK government had made promises during the election to increase the paddy procurement prices to Rs 25 per kg. But currently the price of paddy has increased to just Rs 21.6 per kg.
Such minor increase in price does not solve post harvest issues for farmers in the state,” said Thirupathi, a farmer from Madurai. Another issue raised was lack of direct procurement centres and cost involved in transporting the produce to DPCs.
“Almost all the farmers in Ramanathapuram district sell their produces in the open market. Farmers get about Rs 14 per kilo for paddy in the open market. Though the DPC prices are much higher, expenses are involved in transporting paddy from field to DPCs,” said Bakiyanathan, a functionary of Vaigai Irrigated Area Farmers Association from Ramanathapuram. Agricultural officials from Ramanathapuram district stated that paddy procurement in the district is currently 5% compared to total production of paddy.