Farmers of Ekkatampalayam, Pasuvapatti and Ellaigramam are overjoyed as two Direct Procurement Centres for paddy have been started within 2km.
One was commissioned at Veppili Pirivu along the Kangayam Road as demanded by a group of farmers through a novel protest on Wednesday, and the other at nearby Nallapadi, at the perceived insistence of a local ruling party functionary.
The farmers staged a protest by carrying loads of paddy to the Collectorate complaining that Chennimalai AIADMK block secretary P. Gopalakrishnan was causing obstruction with the idea of getting the procurement centre sanctioned for the area at a place of his choice.
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The district administration chose to fulfil the desires of both sides.
Both the centres were inaugurated by N.S.N. Nataraj, MLA.
With the start of the two new centres, the number of procurement centres in the district has risen to 25, said C. Muruganandam, Regional Manager, Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation.
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Till last year, farmers in Chennimalai had to take their produce to K.G. Valasu, more than 7km away, bearing additional expenditure on account of transport.
And farmers who chose to dispose off their produce at the fields to private parties faced exploitation since the procurement was made at the rate of Rs. 13 a kg compared to Rs. 14.70 a kg at the procurement centres operated by the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation.
The major advantage is that the farmers are paid in cash then and there at the procurement centres.