Work to construct permanent DPCs in Tiruvallur nears completion

Work to construct additional direct procurement centres (DPCs) for paddy is nearing completion in Tiruvallur district, which already has over 30 permanent DPCs. Each centre will have a warehouse to store 2,000 bags at a time, an open space with cement flooring to pack the bags, a weighing machine, and a winnowing machine to remove impurities.  

“Both the agricultural marketing wing of the Agriculture department and the district administration under the District Rural Development Agency are constructing the permanent DPCs. Farmers want DPCs in all the 700-odd revenue villages. We are prioritising villages where more farmers bring in a higher quantity of paddy for the permanent centres. More permanent DPCs would be constructed in a phased manner,” said District Collector M. Prathap.  

“Since the safety of the paddy procured is of utmost importance, it has been our practice to have seasonal DPCs in government buildings like panchayat offices, SHG buildings, community halls, and godowns belonging to other departments. When the DPCs are opened, we also make plans for transporting the paddy to mills and large warehouses,” he added. 

M. Venkatesan, a farmer from Krishnasamudram in Tiruttani block, said that a new DPC was recently opened in their area, which he said was a welcome move. “The storage space, however, needs to be expanded. It can only store 2,000 bags, and farmers here sell 950-1,000 bags a day. We need more space to pack the bags as well. A drying machine would do well at DPCs since moisture content is an issue at all centres. Currently, paddy has to be sent to the hulling mills to be dried,” he said.  

Thanigaivel Kalathi, a farmer from Coovum village in the district, said a new DPC was constructed at the other end of Cooum, which was 3 km away from where the majority of fields were located. “Local politicians chose that spot as it is closer to their lands,” he claimed. “There is a talk that we will get a permanent DPC to cover the Kumaracheri and Irulacheri villages. Hopefully, al farmers will be consulted before the site for the same is chosen. In all villages, the opinions of farmers must be taken into consideration before a final decision is made,” he said.