Chennai, October 23 (Udaipur Kiran) — Continuous rainfall across Tamil Nadu’s delta districts has caused severe damage to harvested paddy crops, leaving farmers distressed as procurement delays worsen their troubles. While leaders from both the ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK have toured the rain-hit districts to assess the situation, concerns in the Cauvery delta region continue to deepen.
The heavy downpour and slow paddy procurement process have damaged or endangered thousands of tonnes of kuruvai paddy, much of which now lies soaked in the rain.
AIADMK General Secretary and Opposition Leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami visited several delta districts on Wednesday, interacting with farmers and inspecting soaked paddy heaps lying outside Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs).
Meanwhile, Food and Civil Supplies Minister R. Sakkarapani held meetings with district officials to review procurement and storage arrangements. He assured that immediate steps are being taken to expedite lifting and milling operations. However, farmer associations have criticised the government for responding too late to prevent the losses.
P.R. Pandian, president of the Coordination Committee of All Farmers Associations in Tamil Nadu, described the current situation as a “historic setback.” He said that over 6.31 lakh hectares were cultivated under the kuruvai season this year, producing around 13 lakh tonnes of paddy. “So far, only about six lakh tonnes have been procured, while nearly four lakh tonnes are rain-affected,” he added.
Pandian further noted that nearly two lakh tonnes of paddy are still awaiting harvest, and many sacks have been lying outside DPCs for days, exposed to continuous rainfall.
Kaveri S. Dhanapalan, General Secretary of the Cauvery Farmers Protection Association, said, “This year’s kuruvai yield was excellent, but incessant rains have destroyed much of the standing and harvested crops.”
Farmers also complained about severe overcapacity at procurement centres, saying each DPC is designed to hold about 3,000 sacks, but many are now stacked with over 10,000 sacks, leaving no space for proper storage and increasing the risk of spoilage.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.