Harvested paddy damaged as procurement delays, say farmers in Madurai

According to the TN Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), out of the 164 approved direct procurement centres, only 88 DPCs are open at present in the district.
Over 45,000 hectares of Madurai's lands were used for samba paddy cultivation this year.
Over 45,000 hectares of Madurai's lands were used for samba paddy cultivation this year.

MADURAI: The ongoing samba paddy harvest season in Madurai has been dubbed one of the most successful seasons for farmers in Madurai. However, some of the farmers in the Melur area have raised concerns over the delayed paddy procurement process, allegedly causing damage to the crops.  

Over 45,000 hectares of Madurai's lands were used for samba paddy cultivation this year. According to the farmers of Melur, the rain that occurred over the past week affected the harvest process as it increased the moisture content in the paddy grain.  

According to the TN Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), out of the 164 approved direct procurement centres, only 88 DPCs are open at present in the district. "The number of DPCs will be increased to 120-130 by next week," sources said.

Kangatharan, a farmer from the Melur area observed that in areas like Amabalagarpatti and Kovilpatti village, the farmers, who harvested their paddy some 10 days ago, are troubled as the TNCSC is yet to begin procurement in the area. "The paddy stored outside the DPC got damaged despite using tarpaulins to cover them. This situation could have been avoided if the TNCSC paced up the procurement process and deployed enough machines and workers. The harvest process was delayed due to such issues. We urge the state government to take action towards speeding up the procurement process in all areas to help the farmers," he said.

He further stated that the farmers in Tamil Nadu continue to face hardship due to the increasing expenses and lack of fixed rates for the crops. The government and the politicos should act instead of merely discussing helping farmers, he added.

Rajan, a farmer from Melur, said owing to the delay in procurement, a small portion of the harvested paddy, which was stored away for procurement, got damaged in the rain. "We managed to separate the damaged portion of the paddy, which can be used as poultry feed while leaving the rest procurement. We did not face much loss. However, we request the TNCSC to speed up the procurement process," he said.

When contacted, a senior official from the TNCSC stated that the department has deputed additional workers and machines for Melur and Vellalur areas to speed up the procurement process. Regular inspections are also being carried out to ensure a fair process is being carried out in the procurement centres.

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