Paddy procurement crosses 93,000 MT in Tiruvarur

TIRUCHY: With 5.21 lakh MT paddy procured during the rabi season through as many as 538 DPCs across the Tiruvarur region, the kuruvai procurement for the kharif season through 173 DPCs for the year 2024-25 reached 93,986 MT so far, said Tiruvarur District Collector V Mohanachandran on Wednesday.

The farmers’ grievances redressal meeting was held at Tiruvarur collectorate, chaired by the district collector Mohanachandran. In the meeting, the farmers from various associations aired their grievances. Most farmers demanded compensation for crops damaged due to the unseasonal rainfall.

While raising concerns about the fertiliser distribution, Peralam V Balakumaran, farmers’ representative said, the fertilisers should be distributed only through the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies. The farmers are asked to purchase necessary inputs from private firms and the officials should intervene and monitor it, he said. He also appealed to the state government to take care of crop insurance.

Meanwhile, Kudavasal P Mukesh, said that the farmers are unaware of the new schemes introduced by the horticulture, aquaculture, and veterinary departments. He urged the officials to create awareness among the farmers and ensure that they avail the benefits of the new schemes.

Strongly condemning the Reserve Bank of India’s new regulation on jewellery loans, Nannilam G Sethuraman said, the farmers are affected a lot due to these norms, and the officials particularly, the district collector should recommend through the state government, urging RBI to withdraw the new regulation.

Sethurman also pointed out that there was no announcement on crop damage compensation due to the sudden rainfall. He also urged immediate damage assessment and compensation from the government, adding, otherwise, the farmers would organise a statewide protest.

Responding to the farmers, the district collector Mohanachandran said, the grievances aired by the farmers would be forwarded to the government through the respective departments.

He further said that the paddy procurement has been under way in the district. During rabi season, through as many as 538 DPCs 5.21 lakh MT paddy was procured, and 1.31 lakh farmers benefited. In the case of the current kharif season, as many as 173 DPCs have been opened and 93,986 MT paddy has been procured so far, benefitting as many as 21,140 farmers.

He also said that Cooperative societies disbursed crop loans worth Rs 102 crore to as many as 1,792 farmers in the district for 2025-26.