Nil transportation costs, moisture content leniency make Thanjavur farmers choose private traders to DPCs
THANJAVUR: Even as kuruvai cultivation in the district has crossed the target of 1.30 lakh acres, farmers in certain pockets harvesting early kuruvai paddy are selling their produce to private traders instead of government-run direct purchase centres (DPC) owing to various reasons, including nil transportation costs and leniency shown in crop moisture content.
While officials said the final figure of the district’s kuruvai acreage will be known only after August 15, farmers in certain pockets who cultivated early kuruvai paddy by undertaking transplantation in the end of May have commenced harvesting.
Harvesting is under way in areas like Adanjur, Elangadu, Unjini, Kachamangalam and Agarappettai. In some other areas like Varahur, Manathidal and Konerirajapuram, it is already complete. All the areas are located in and around Tirukkattupalli.
In the areas, farmers are selling paddy to private traders instead of DPCs, though the price offered by traders is found to be Rs 50 to Rs 80 less per bag. S Sivakumar, a farmer from Manathidal, told TNIE that private traders are offering Rs 2,250 to Rs 2,300 per 62 kg bag of paddy which is lesser than the price offered at DPCs.
"The traders, however, come straight to the field and procure the harvest, thus obviating transportation costs," he said. There is also no need to pay the bribe demanded by DPC staff, he added. B Ravindran, another farmer from Tirukkattuppalli, said traders also bring with them gunny bags.
"The labour required for loading the harvested paddy into the lorry is also borne by the traders, which is another saving," he added. Meanwhile, moving away from the trend among Tirukkattupalli farmers, farmers in areas in and around Kumbakonam are selling early kuruvai paddy to DPCs.
T Murugesan, a farmer from Maruthuvakudi near Kumbakonam said he sold his paddy harvest to a DPC. When contacted, procurement officials of TNCSC said that traders, usually from Tiruchy, arrive in the district to procure the early kuruvai paddy from areas in and around Tirukkattupalli.
They, however, do not go to areas surrounding Kumbakonam due to the distance, they added. Further, farmers preferred traders to DPCs as they bother less about moisture content, the officials said. "However, when the new increased prices for paddy for the kharif marketing season (KMS) come into effect from September 1, the farmers will start selling to DPCs," they added.