Chennai, Nov 3 (NationPress) As the Kuruvai harvest approaches its conclusion across the Cauvery Delta, the paddy procurement initiative is also nearing its end under the vigilant oversight of District Collectors.

According to officials, over 90 percent of the Kuruvai harvest has been finalized in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Mayiladuthurai, and Nagapattinam districts, where 1.99 lakh acres, 1.91 lakh acres, 97,727 acres, and 74,667 acres, respectively, were cultivated this season.

In response to numerous farmer complaints regarding procurement delays, the number of Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) was increased, with each centre tasked to procure between 2,000 and 3,000 bags of paddy daily.

District Collectors in all Delta regions personally inspected the DPCs to ensure the smooth transportation of the procured stock to storage facilities. Officials were instructed to prevent hoarding outside procurement centres, with more than 90 percent of the procured paddy already transferred to storage locations.

The state also encountered a shortage of gunny bags and jute threads, leading to emergency procurement from West Bengal. Of the two crore bags ordered, 54 lakh arrived by rail at Thanjavur and Kumbakonam on Sunday from Kolkata, alleviating the bottleneck in packing and transportation.

However, farmers are profoundly frustrated by the losses incurred due to delays and inadequate planning.

With intermittent northeast monsoon rains, harvested paddy stacked outside DPCs began to sprout in various locations, causing significant financial distress.

Farmers in the Delta have requested compensation of Rs 40,000 per acre for the damages incurred.

K.M. Selvaraghavan, a farmer association leader, stated, “Out of 6.13 lakh acres of Kuruvai cultivation, approximately 30 percent of the crop ready for harvest was submerged in rainwater and destroyed. Another 10-20 percent of the harvested paddy sprouted due to continuous rain. The slow pace of procurement and lack of contingency planning have resulted in substantial losses.”

He also noted that around 60,000 acres of standing Samba and Thalady crops suffered damage from the rains.

“Farmers have pawned jewellery or borrowed funds to cultivate their lands, yet the government persists with an outdated 33 percent loss assessment method. This needs revision—Rs 40,000 per acre should be granted as compensation,” he emphasized.

Farmers have further claimed that although the Chief Minister has interacted with Delta District Collectors, the focus remained solely on procurement volume, neglecting pressing issues such as moisture relaxation, rain damage prevention, and transportation delays. They expressed that repeated appeals regarding these matters, including bribery and logistics issues, were overlooked, leaving them vulnerable once more during the monsoon procurement season.