The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation has opened 50 direct purchase centres (DPCs) for procuring paddy from farmers during the samba and thaladi harvest season.
Disclosing this after inaugurating the procurement for the Kharif season at a DPC at Pattamangalam village in Keezhvelur taluk, Collector S.Palanisamy said that initially 15 DPCs have been opened in Nagapattinam division and 35 in Mayiladuthurai division.
More DPCs would be opened depending on the requirement. If there were more than 300 bags at a single place, a mobile DPC would visit the spot to procure the paddy from the farmers, he said.
Paddy has been raised on 1.02 lakh hectares during the samba season in the district. A procurement target of five lakh tonnes has been fixed for the district.
Farmers would get Rs.1,410 a quintal for common variety and Rs.1,470 a quintal for fine variety at the DPCs. TNCSC employees have been instructed to ensure that farmers did not face any problem in selling their produce at the DPCs. Adequate cash and stock of gunny bags have been kept ready.
Mr.Palanisamy instructed officials to ensure that farmers were not made to wait for long to sell their produce at the DPCs.
Nagai Mali, MLA, M.Radhakrishnan, Senior Regional Manager, TNCSC, and other officials were present.
