Mayiladuthurai Collector H.S. Srikanth checking the state of affairs at the Direct Purchase Centre at Manakkudi on Friday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
District administrations across the Cauvery delta have intensified paddy procurement operations, with top officials checking the state of affairs at direct purchase centres (DPCs) and storage facilities to ensure smooth movement of stocks amid a bumper harvest this kuruvai season.
In Nagapattinam, District Monitoring Officer and TNCSC Managing Director A. Annadurai and District Collector P. Akash visited DPCs at Eesanur and Keelaiyur villages to review procurement and transport operations. Officials said 26,509 bags of paddy had been procured so far from Eesanur, including 455 bags on Thursday alone, while 20,512 bags have been procured from Keelaiyur. Stocks are being moved to godowns in a phased manner, and adequate jute bags and storage space are available, the officials said.
10-fold increase
Sources from the district administration said 72,736 tonnes of paddy had been procured so far this season from 14,600 farmers in Nagapattinam district and payment totalling ₹175.99 crore had been made directly into bank accounts. This year, 124 DPCs are operational compared to 23 last year, when procurement stood at just 5,440 tonnes.
In Mayiladuthurai, Collector H.S. Srikanth, inspected centres at Manakkudi and Kidarankondan. As on October 23, the district had procured 1.20 lakh tonnes from 24,688 farmers, moving over 1.01 lakh tonnes to storage or despatch. Rail and road networks are being used to shift 2,000 to 4,000 tonnes daily to other districts.
About 1.96 lakh tonnes of paddy had been procured in Tiruvarur district so far. Collector V. Mohanachandran, stating that nearly 80% of harvest was complete and 8,000–10,000 tonnes were being moved out daily, including via rail. This was double the volume procured last year during the same period.
Officials said procurement was being extended into evenings and holidays to ease backlogs and tackle logistical bottlenecks. With early arrivals and high yields this year, Delta districts are expected to significantly surpass last year’s procurement volumes.
Published – October 24, 2025 09:13 pm IST
