As the harvesting season for Samba paddy begins in Ramanathapuram district, the civil supplies department has initiated over 70 direct procurement centres (DPCs) to facilitate the process. With Pongal around the corner, farmers are proceeding at a slower pace this year. The district collector, Vishnu Chandran, stated that as the harvest season progresses, an additional 30 DPCs will be opened, providing farmers with Rs 2,310 per quintal and Rs 2,265 per quintal for better quality paddy. The civil supplies department has set a procurement target of one lakh metric tonnes, anticipating that the overall paddy production will exceed four lakh metric tonnes this year.
Despite challenges such as floods and irrigation issues, the increased acreage of Samba paddy to 1.39 lakh hectares in Ramanathapuram has prompted the establishment of over 100 DPCs and 10 storage facilities. This substantial infrastructure expansion aims to streamline the procurement process and support the agricultural community.
In contrast, Madurai is experiencing a delay in the maturation of Samba paddy, as farmers initiated the season only in the November-December period. The agriculture department reported a reduced acreage of 29,000 hectares, compared to the usual 35,000 hectares, until January. Farmers in Ramanathapuram faced challenges with unseasonal rainfall, forcing them to harvest and dry paddy under the sun. Despite this, traders in open markets are offering lower prices, creating hardships for the farmers.
While the civil supplies department is inspecting areas for potential DPCs in Madurai, the decline in acreage may impact procurement efforts this year, according to a senior department official.