CHENNAI: More than 5,000 bags of paddy kept at government procurement centres near Madurantakam have been damaged in the heavy rains triggered by the weakened Cyclone Ditwah. The grains sprouted in the aftermath and became completely unusable. Farmers said the loss occurred due to official negligence, as the stock was left unprotected even after procurement had ended.
At the direct procurement centre in Thandarai village, functioning under the union government scheme, paddy procurement was completed on November 30. However, the purchased stock was not moved to storage facilities and remained in the open for nearly a week.
Farmers pointed out that in previous years, bags used to be transported to Food Corporation godowns while procurement was still in progress. This year, the bags were left exposed without tarpaulin sheets or any other protective covering, even after the centre was closed.
As persistent rains lashed the city and suburbs in the last week, the bags got drenched, and the grains began sprouting. Farmers said they were devastated to see the stock turn into seedlings. "We work day and night in the sun and rain to grow each grain. But negligence has destroyed everything we produced," they said.
The farmers urged senior officials to ensure that such incidents do not recur. They sought protective shelters for all procurement centres and immediate shifting of procured stocks to safe godowns rather than leaving them exposed for days.
The officials acknowledged the loss but attributed it to logistical difficulties. They said only the final batches were left, as most of the procured paddy had already been transported. Continuous rain and poor road conditions had delayed the arrival of lorries, resulting in the bags getting soaked and sprouting. They added that steps would be taken to prevent similar incidents in future.