Thanjavur farmers distraught as Kuruvai paddy at DPCs get damaged in rain

The harvested Kuruvai paddy, brought to Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) by farmers in many villages, was damaged in the heavy rain that lashed the Thanjavur district on Saturday night.
Thanjavur farmers distraught as Kuruvai paddy at DPCs get damaged in rain

THANJAVUR: The harvested Kuruvai paddy, brought to Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) by farmers in many villages, was damaged in the heavy rain that lashed the Thanjavur district on Saturday night.

Around 58,950 hectares was covered under paddy during this Kuruvai season, which is the highest in the last 30 years, and harvest is over in most of the cultivated area. But farmers have alleged a delay in the procurement process as paddy has to be sold only in gunny bags supplied by DPCs run by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC). With sacks in short supply at most DPCs, farmers were forced to store the paddy in the open.

On Saturday night, the district experienced intermittent rain which damaged paddy.

"Of the 500 bags of paddy I had brought at least 20-30 bags were damaged. We worked so hard and just when we were about to reap the fruits of our labour, it has all gone in vain," said Elangovan, a farmer, who had waited for over two weeks to sell paddy to the DPC in Kovilur village.

The situation is the same in many DPCs across the district, including Vannarapettai. With more rain forecast for the next few days, farmers are keeping their fingers crossed as they could not dry the paddy.

The moisture content permitted is yet to be relaxed from 17% to 20% as recommended by the district administration. Now with rains the farmers demand it be relaxed up to 22%.

R Kamaraj, Food Minister who visited some DPCs in Thanjavur district on Saturday, said that at places where the arrival of paddy bags are more than 1,000 bags a day an additional DPC would be opened.

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