Latest news with #DPCs
Time of India
7 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Shortage of load workers stalls paddy procurement in Trichy
Trichy: Paddy procurement in Trichy district has slowed down due to an acute shortage of load workers at Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs), leaving farmers anxious as their harvested grains lie exposed to rain. Farmers said paddy has remained unsold for days at DPCs, increasing the risk of moisture damage. "I brought four tonnes to the DPC at Pethupatti in Thuraiyur block. It's been lying there for a week without being procured due to the lack of workers," said N Balakrishnan, a farmer from Mangalamputhur village. The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC), which operates DPCs, aims to procure 15,000 metric tonnes of Navarai (summer) paddy from around 1,000 hectares in the district. Eight temporary centres have been opened for the season. While farmers prefer selling to the government at the Minimum Support Price—Rs 2,450 per quintal for fine varieties and Rs 2,405 for common ones—the lack of workers has brought operations to a crawl. Load workers are essential for weighing, bagging, and loading the grain. "There's a labour shortage. Local workers are unwilling to work at DPCs, so we've hired North Indian labourers," said G Chitrarasu, TNCSC regional manager. With intermittent rains over the past few weeks, farmers fear that the moisture content in their paddy may rise above the 17% limit set by TNCSC for full payment. Between 17% and 20%, payment is cut; beyond 20%, the grain is rejected altogether. "Grains are starting to germinate due to the delay. If the rains continue, we'll face heavy losses," Balakrishnan warned.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
TNCSC to take over DPCs from NCCF in eight districts
The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has informed the farmers that it would take over the Direct Purchase Centres (DPCs) operated by the representative of the National Consumer Cooperative Federation (NCCF) in eight districts in Tamil Nadu reportedly due to the concerns raised by the farmers with respect to the procurement of paddy. Disclosing this to the media, the president of Tamil Nadu Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations P. R. Pandian said the State's consent to allow the NCCF to procure paddy from the farmers in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, Ranipet, Villupuram, Tiruvannamalai, Ramanathapuram and Tirunelveli through its representative, the Tamil Nadu Paddy and Rice Processing Federation (TNPRPF), led to delay or non-payment of sales proceeds or non-procurement of paddy at several places in these eight districts. Subsequently, the Farmers' Federation and local farmers' associations announced an agitation on May 27 seeking the take over of the paddy procurement operations by the TNCSC from NCCF. However, a meeting in this regard was held at Chennai on May 26, where it was declared that the TNCSC would take over the paddy procurement operations from the NCCF's representative organisation in these eight districts. The allegations of non-payment of sale proceeds and delay in procurement of paddy would be sorted out soon by the Corporation, said Mr. P. R. Pandian.
The Hindu
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Farmers' body complain over delay in opening DPCs in Rajapalayam region
Delay in opening Direct Paddy Purchase Centres in Rajapalayam and Seithur regions has put paddy farmers at the mercy of traders who are buying the produce at a reduce price. Tamil Nadu Vivasayigal Sangam functionary, Vanaraja, said that despite having reminded Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation officials multiple times to set the DPCs at the earliest, no action has been taken to open the DPCs at North Devadanam, South Devadanam, Seithur and Mugavur. Paddy is being cultivated in around 2,000 acres in the region with the water from Sasthakoil dam, lift irrigation and through irrigation tanks. Harvesting of the paddy has also begun here. 'Since, the Government has not constructed any godown in these region, the farmers are forced to stock their produce on the roads,' said a functionary, Balsamy. With the unseasonal rain lashing the region, the farmers were worried about their hard-earned produce getting ruined by the rain. 'Hence, they are forced to sell to the traders who were ready to pay only ₹1,250 a bag whereas the TNCSC pays ₹1,720 per bag. The delay in commencing the DPCs was leading to the farmers incurring ₹10,000 loss for paddy grown on every acre,' said Communist Party of India (Marxist) functionary A. Ramar. He threatened that if the DPCs were not opened at the earliest, the party would stage a protest.
New Indian Express
20-05-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Farmers in TN seek quick procurement, better facilities at DPCs
ERODE: Farmers have demanded the district administration to expedite paddy procurement through the Direct Purchase Centres (DPCs) and improve the facilities at the centres in Thadapalli-Arakkankottai canal ayacut areas of Erode district. Sources said that on behalf of the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, 37 DPCs have been opened in Thadappalli - Arakkankottai canal ayacut areas. Subi Thalapathi, president of Kodiveri Dam-Bhavani River Irrigation Farmers Association, said, "It has been over 25 days since paddy harvest was completed in the ayacut areas. Yet, paddy has not been procured from many farmers. The paddy taken by the farmers to the DPCs is not purchased. In some places, the paddy is being affected due to rain." "Paddy procurement in DPCs is sluggish due to labour shortage. Most workers at DPCs are from North Indian states. As the wheat harvest season has started up north, most workers have left the state. The authorities have not taken any steps in this regard,' he added.
The Hindu
19-05-2025
- The Hindu
Long wait for farmers for money after having sold paddy in DPCs
A group of farmers, who are waiting for more than two months for getting the money for the paddy they had sold in the Union government's direct procurement centre, submitted petition with District Collector R. Sukumar on Monday seeking his intervention. The petitioner farmers said the State government had opened 40 paddy Direct Procurement Centres (DPC) in Tirunelveli district and the union government had established 25 DPCs for procuring paddy from the farmers at the minimum support price fixed by the Centre. While the State is paying the amount in the farmers' bank accounts immediately after procuring the paddy at its DPC, the union government is yet to pay this amount even after two months for the paddy procured in the DPCs at Kuppaikurichi, Keezhapaattam, Mela Seval, Ariyakulam and Naththam. 'Consequently, around 300 farmers have been waiting indefinitely for the amount to be paid in their accounts by the Centre. Hence, the Collector should instruct the officials of the Union government to pay the paddy procurement amount to the farmers without further delay,' said Thalavai, one of the affected farmers. A group of students of a private training centre, who were allegedly cheated by the training institute after collecting the course fee from them also submitted petition to the Collector seeking his intervention to get back their money. The affected students said they all doing their graduation in various colleges, had joined a 6-months certificate programme in a private institute's branch at Vannarpet here for getting jobs with attractive salary. 'After collecting the fee from us, the training institute's branch manager and her associate gave us receipt for the course fee. Even as the course was about to start, the office was closed down without any intimation to the students. When we tried to contact them, their mobile phones remain switched off. As we contacted the head-office of this institute, we came to know that the branch manager and her associate had not paid our fee to the head-office. Hence, the Collector should help us to get our money back,' said P. Abdullah, one of the affected students, who is working with a private firm for paying the fee of ₹15,000 for two courses.
