Delta farmers in Tamil Nadu are urging the state government to accelerate paddy procurement and swift movement of stocks from Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs). They are concerned about delays causing huge stockpiles at open yards, hindering fresh procurement during the ongoing summer harvest. With the summer crop harvest almost complete in the Cauvery Delta, farmers are worried about the impact of prolonged storage in the open on grain quality.
The short-term summer paddy crop, cultivated across approximately 1.60 lakh acres in the Delta since April, has faced procurement challenges. While procurement began in late June and is set to continue until August, farmers are facing issues due to poor planning. Farmer organizations have noted a significant slowdown in procurement recently, with many centres now handling only 500 to 600 bags daily compared to the initial 1,000 bags. This delay is attributed to the sluggish movement of procured paddy to Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) warehouses and hulling mills.
Farmers have raised concerns about the accumulation of stocks at procurement centres, leading to reluctance among procurement staff to accept more paddy from farmers. This backlog has forced cultivators to store harvested paddy at their own expense while awaiting procurement. The situation has been described as administrative mismanagement, with officials allegedly awaiting further instructions before clearing the accumulated stocks to warehouses and hulling units.
The procurement backlog and slow movement of stocks are visible in several procurement centres across districts like Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Mayiladuthurai. Farmers estimate that these centres are holding between 10,000 and 15,000 bags of procured paddy, left in the open for days. They fear that prolonged exposure could lead to quality issues, weight loss, and further delays in procurement, impacting farmers eager to sell their harvest swiftly.
