THANJAVUR: A total of 1.68 lakh tonnes of paddy has been procured, as against only 95,000 tonnes last year by this time in Thanjavur district, as part of the ongoing kuruvai season, said the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) senior regional manager N Selvam.
Over 1.43 lakh tonnes have been transported to storage godowns and rice mills; only 25,000 tonnes remain at procurement centres, he said in an obvious response to charges of paddy stockpile left at Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs). By this time last year, 95,000 tonnes had been procured, the official said.
He added that around 75,000 tonnes of paddy are yet to be harvested, and the target is to procure up to 3 lakh tonnes this season. Additional procurement centres have been opened in major villages to speed up the process, he said.
A private godown with a 16,000-tonne capacity has been rented to store paddy and rice in Thanjavur, the official added. Forty-five rice mills in the district have been permitted to process up to 80,000 tonnes of rice a month.