Stalin asks PM Modi to advance procurement of paddy

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Tuesday appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to instruct to the Union Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to advance the procurement of paddy by one month to September 1. In his official letter, CM MK Stalin detailed the advancement of irrigation works in delta regions and said for the first time since Independence, the Mettur reservoir was opened for Kuruvai paddy cultivation on May 24, ahead of the conventional date of June 12.

After desilting main and sub canals for 4,964.11 km in Cauvery delta districts and sanctioning an agri-input package, the State government had advised farmers to complete the transplantation of Kuruvai paddy by June end itself. Through these efforts,  the farmers were confident of harvesting their Kuruvai paddy from the last week of August, the CM said.

He thanked the PM for announcing MSP for all kharif crops well before sowing, but the new MSP would be applicable only from October 1. And it was expected that Kuruvai paddy harvest would commence from the last week of August. Stating thus, the CM requested the Centre to advance paddy procurement to September 1.

Harvest in Aug
After desilting main and sub canals for 4,964.11 km in Cauvery delta districts and sanctioning an agri-input package, TN had advised farmers to complete the transplantation of Kuruvai paddy by June end itself. Through these efforts, the farmers were confident of harvesting their Kuruvai paddy from the last week of August, the CM said