Chennai, Sep 22 (NationPress) With the kuruvai paddy harvest on the verge of reaching its peak in the Madurai district, the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has revealed plans to operationalize 40 direct purchase centres (DPCs) by the end of this month.

According to officials, the centres will be launched in phases over the next two weeks, adhering to the harvesting timeline to guarantee uninterrupted procurement.

The kuruvai cultivation has been carried out across nearly 10,000 acres in the Vadipatti, Kallandhiri, and Chellampatti blocks. Farmers in various areas have commenced harvesting as the crops have matured, although recent unseasonal rains have raised concerns.

To safeguard their yield, farmers have requested the TNCSC to supply sufficient tarpaulin sheets at procurement locations to protect paddy bags from rain damage.

District officials have promised that procurement will be efficient and that irregularities will be minimized. However, representatives of farmers expressed their worries.

A farmer, who chose to remain anonymous, claimed that cultivators were being compelled to pay approximately Rs 50 per bag during the procurement process. “A district-level monitoring committee or a dedicated control room must be established to oversee the centres and prevent malpractice,” he insisted.

In response to these issues, official sources stated that strict guidelines have been issued to stop traders from misrepresenting paddy as that of farmers. They added that all DPCs would open simultaneously once harvest reports confirm readiness, and procurement guidelines will be rigorously upheld.

Officials from the civil supplies department further assured that there would be adequate personnel to address grievances at procurement sites.

“Farmers will have access to staff capable of resolving complaints immediately,” a senior officer indicated.

Despite these reassurances, farmers insisted that only a permanent monitoring system would ensure transparency and fairness.

With harvesting set to accelerate in the coming week, farmers emphasized that timely procurement, effective rain protection measures, and stringent oversight against irregularities are essential to protect their produce.

“We have labored hard throughout the season. What we require now is swift, equitable, and transparent procurement,” a farmer from Vadipatti asserted.

The effectiveness of the procurement initiative, stakeholders concur, will depend not just on the number of centres established but also on the government’s capacity to enforce checks and promptly address the grievances of cultivators.