Palaniswami alleges delay in paddy procurement; Minister says DPCs operating on war footing

AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Friday (October 17, 2025) alleged in the Assembly that irregularities at direct purchase centres (DPCs) had led to about 30,000 bags of paddy remaining unprocured.

Mr. Palaniswami said farmers were forced to stack paddy bags in open areas along the roads due to delays in procurement. With the onset of the Northeast monsoon, he urged the State government to expedite procurement at all DPCs and to ensure the immediate transportation of paddy stocks stored in warehouses to rice mills.

Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R. Sakkarapani, in his response, said paddy coverage in the Cauvery delta districts during the Kuruvai season this year had exceeded six lakh acres. He said for the past four years, the government had been opening DPCs on September 1 every year and carrying out procurement operations.

The Minister said up to 1,000 bags of paddy were being procured at each DPC, which also operated on Sundays. He added that all measures related to paddy procurement were being carried out on a war footing.