The Tamil Nadu government has announced significant enhancements to its paddy procurement operations, extending daily hours at Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) by two hours, now running until 8 p.m. This move aims to accelerate the collection of approximately 1,000 bags of paddy per DPC each day, as detailed in a recent official release. To further bolster efficiency, an additional 127 Point-of-Purchase (POP) machines have been deployed across 13 districts experiencing high procurement volumes.
Responding to a particularly robust paddy harvest, DPCs have also begun operating on Sundays. This is part of a broader set of initiatives to ensure all paddy from farmers, especially those in the crucial Cauvery delta region, is promptly procured.
As of October 19, the state has successfully procured around 5,510 metric tonnes of paddy. Strategic reserves in the Cauvery delta region include over 57.63 lakh gunny bags, 58 metric tonnes of jute twine, and more than 28,800 tarpaulin sheets, ensuring adequate supplies for the ongoing operations. Statewide, a total of 2.65 crore gunny bags are readily available.
In Tiruvarur district, where production is notably high, 20 dedicated teams have been established to streamline the transportation of paddy from DPCs. Currently, about 35,000 metric tonnes of paddy are being moved daily to warehouses using approximately 4,000 lorries and 13 to 15 trains.
To support these efforts, additional personnel have been assigned to Tiruvarur district. The paddy procurement drive, which commenced on September 1, has already seen 10.40 lakh metric tonnes of paddy collected through 1,843 DPCs across the state. Of this, 8.77 lakh metric tonnes have been transported to various districts, while 1.63 metric tonnes remain securely stored at DPCs.
Significant quantities of paddy still need to be moved from DPCs in several districts: approximately 53,831 metric tonnes from Tiruvarur, 23,125 metric tonnes from Thanjavur, 16,793 metric tonnes from Mayiladuthurai, and 21,537 metric tonnes from Nagapattinam.
Since October 21, the movement of paddy by rail has intensified, with about 7,000 metric tonnes dispatched on four trains from Thanjavur, 9,000-10,000 metric tonnes on five trains from Tiruvarur, 4,000 metric tonnes on two trains from Mayiladuthurai, and over 2,000 metric tonnes on one train from Nagapattinam. Plans are in place to transport a further 48,000 metric tonnes from Tiruvarur district.
The Chief Minister personally reviewed the paddy storage and movement on October 2, leading to the formation of monitoring teams in every taluk. Field inspections were also conducted by the Food Minister and other officials on October 10 and 11 to oversee the process.
In response to a request from the Chief Secretary, Southern Railway has approved an allocation of 13 freight trains to the Cauvery delta region to facilitate the transport of procured paddy. Furthermore, three expert committees have arrived in Tamil Nadu to assess the state government’s plea for a relaxation in the permissible moisture content for paddy procurement, seeking an increase from 17% to 22%.
Since 2021, the Direct Procurement Centres have collectively procured a substantial 1.70 crore metric tonnes of paddy, with an average annual procurement of approximately 42.61 lakh metric tonnes, highlighting the program’s consistent impact on supporting farmers.