Rapid mechanisation has increased daily arrivals at direct procurement centres, but chronic staff shortages and wide pay disparities for “load men” have choked buying operations across the Cauvery Delta, union leaders said. They cautioned immediate administrative fixes are needed to prevent further disruption.
C. Chandrakumar, state general secretary of the TNCSC Workers’ Union (affiliated to AITUC), told The Hindu that a dramatic shift in harvest practices had left procurement infrastructure and staffing badly outmatched. “Unlike a decade ago, harvest and transport now happen within hours. A thousand bags can reach a DPC in a short time,” he said. “But staff strength has not kept pace; fresh recruitment has been negligible. We warned the administration a month ago — after the Mettur water release — to open additional DPCs and contingency CAP units. Those steps were not taken in time,” he said.
Mr. Chandrakumar identified the acute shortage of load men — the labourers who handle manual lifting and loading of gunny bags — as the chief cause of procurement delay this season. “Procurement was delayed primarily because load men were not available when needed. Even now, officers are managing with great difficulty,” he said and appealed for urgent remedial action.
Wage disparity
The union laid bare stark and confusing wage anomalies that, they argue, discourage work and invite middle-level malpractice. “At DPCs, the rate of ₹10 per bag was fixed in December 2021,” Mr. Chandrakumar said. “At CAP units, the rate is only ₹1.48 per bag, rail loaders get ₹5 per bag, while private contractors pay up to ₹15. Such variation fuels corruption at lower levels and discourages traditional load men from taking up work,” he said.
He raised a delicate but consequential administrative problem: a Government Order that bars or discourages men aged around 60 from undertaking manual loading. “That order has effectively pushed many traditional load men out of work. In some cases, payments meant for these elderly workers are credited to the younger relatives, though those elders no longer physically lift the bags. This disrupts local labour markets and removes experienced hands from the field at exactly the time they are needed,” he said and urged the authorities to review the rule and its implementation while protecting worker safety.
Elavari K., general secretary of the TNCSC employees’ union (INTUC), raised procedural and fairness issues relating to compensation and temporary staff. “According to TNCSC rules on weight-loss and movement losses, permanent purchase officers and others are accountable. But it is inappropriate to withhold payments only from temporary seasonal workers or to refuse payments citing the same reasons,” he said and demanded administrative correction.
Both leaders criticised the absence of basic pre-procurement planning. “There was no scheme report this season detailing expected production and required manpower,” Mr. Chandrakumar said. “Without that, deployment is ad hoc and the system strains.” The unions pressed for immediate measures: constitution of an independent committee to fix a market-aligned, uniform wage for load workers; prompt filling of more than 1,200 sanctioned vacancies under the 12/3 contract; and reopening of more than 50 open-yard storage centres in Delta districts that were earlier closed.
Union representatives pointed to severe understaffing at storage units and CAP facilities. “Many depots that need dozens of clerical staff operate with only a fraction of the workforce,” Mr. Elavari said. “This shortfall affects weighing, packing, and secure despatch and increases scope for malpractice,” he added.
Published – October 26, 2025 08:42 pm IST
