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Nearly 100 tonnes of paddy face ‘rotting’ threat in 33 DPCs for want of storage facility
Lack of storage facilities in Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) godowns has resulted in paddy to the tune of nearly 100 tonnes languishing in the 33 Direct Purchase Centers in integrated Vellore district, farmers complained.
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Vellore
Farmers in Ranipet district where most of the 33 DPCs opened during the current season revealed that “lack of application of mind was the reason for the current imbroglio.”
Kesavan, a farmer from Wallajahpet said “when TNCSC was aware that paddy arrivals would increase due to government support price being higher than the open market price for paddy, it was sheer negligence on their part to complain of lack of staff and facilities in the middle of the season.” Farmers’ association sources accepting this said “open market price for a 75 kilo paddy bag fetches only around Rs 1,050, whereas the government offer is nearly Rs 300 – Rs 400 more depending on the quality of paddy provided. Hence it was to be expected that paddy arrivals in DPCs would only increase.”
Sources in Vellore TNCSC revealed that “officials after enquiries realised that corporation godowns in both Kancheepuram and Tiruvannamalai districts could not store paddy from our areas as they were procuring paddy in their respective districts.” While transport was not an issue, the Corporation tries to keep its logistic charges to the minimum by hiring vehicles for short haul trips to the nearest CSC godowns which now do not have space, they added.
Sources also said that officials complaining about lack of staff could be overcome by hiring temporary hands. “When 20 POS machines were moved from Tiruvarur district to Ranipet district to meet the needs here why cannot CSC hire temporary hands to meet local needs?” demand farmers.
Though issues like load men demanding money to weigh paddy and not allowing farmers to recover spilled grain from the weighing floor continue, farmers prefer not to lodge complaints as happened in Tiruvannamalai a few days ago when farmers staged a sit in over the issue in the TNCSC office, but refused to give names when officials asked them.
However, farmers’ association sources revealed that traders in some areas were cashing in on the higher prices offered by paying willing farmers an amount immediately and then getting their chitta and adangal records after which the loanee is asked to get the cash from the DPC and pay it to him.
Ryots upset with Ranipet regulated market’s refusal
Farmers of Vilapakkam, Walajahpet, Sholingur, Arakkonam, Kaveripakkam, Lalapet, Arcot and Timiri in Ranipet district were taken aback when they found a notice at the entrance to the Ammoor regulated market near Ranipet asking them to desist from bringing paddy till March 15 from Wednesday, sources revealed. With DPCs already facing a similar problem, regulated markets are a pro-farmer facility where farmers can stock their produce till they found a favourable price. But the notice a black board at the entrance to the facility resulted in farmers wondering at the extra expense they would have to incur to ferry the paddy loads back. Regulated market sources revealed that the reason for the embargo was due to there being no space to store paddy bags as the compound was full of paddy bags occupying all available space. With Tuesday alone accounting for the arrival of 3,700 bags of paddy, the compound was filled with more than 10,000 bags, they added. However, farmers were worried that bags stocked in the open if drenched by sudden summer showers would increase their moisture content and thus reduce their selling price. While DPCs are facilities where government procures paddy from farmers at an announced support price, regulated markets are for traders to choose the quality and quantity of the produce they want to retail later.
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