7 days ago
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.
