Tamil Nadu to ask Centre to increase moisture content level for paddy procurement

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday directed officials to take steps to obtain Centre's consent to increase the permissible level of moisture content for paddy procurement in view of untimely rains.

Stalin advised officials in a review meeting here to accord permission for setting up additional paddy procurement centres in addition to mobile units, wherever necessary.

The Chief Minister chaired a meeting of senior officials at the Secretariat to review the functioning of direct paddy procurement centres.

In view of rains, unseen in previous years during September end and till now in Cauvery delta districts of the state, paddy crops and the grains stored in sacks have moisture content above the usual level.

"Considering this, the Chief Minister has ordered officials to take all steps to get the concurrence of the union government to raise the moisture content threshold for paddy procurement," an official release here said.

Also, he tasked officials to ensure timely payment to farmers for procured paddy and hassle-free procurement of the grain at centres.

As many as 752 direct paddy procurement centres are functioning during the current Kharif Marketing Season (KMS-2021-22) beginning October 1 as against 608 such centres during the corresponding period last year, the government said.

For the September 30 ended (2020-21) KMS, 44.90 lakh tons paddy have been procured by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation, which is 12.50 lakh tons more when compared with the previous year.

"For the first time, to ensure that the procurement benefited only the farmers, online registration was also done for selling paddy at procurement centres," the release added.