6,000 paddy bags lying in the open at Karseri DPC as logistics fail

A severe logistics issue at the Direct Procurement Centre (DPC) at Karseri panchayat in the district has left local farmers in distress. For over 14 days, procurement process has come to a near-standstill due to non-availability of transport vehicles, leaving thousands of bags exposed to the elements.

What began as a minor delay has snowballed into a major crisis. Now, more than 6,000 paddy bags are stacked in the DPC and surrounding open space. Despite the grain being ready for transport, not a single truck has arrived at the DPC in the last two weeks to move the stock to government godowns or mills.

The lack of movement had created a ‘space crunch’ paralysing the local agricultural cycle, B. Sathish, a farmer, said, adding, “With the warehouse at full capacity, there is no room to store incoming paddy. Farmers who are bringing in fresh produce are unable to bag their grain, as there is no space left to facilitate weighing and packing processes.”

Keeping harvested paddy in the open for long increased the risk of damage from moisture, pests, and unpredictable weather. The delay was not merely logistical, but was deeply financial, he said.

“Most small-scale farmers rely on immediate payment triggered by successful procurement and dispatch of their grain to settle debts and manage the next sowing season,” he added.

The two-week hiatus has choked the cash flow, leaving many farmers in a precarious position. Local farming unions and residents have voiced their frustration over the negligence of the transport contractors and department officials. They made an appeal to the authorities to dispatch trucks to clear the 6,000-bag backlog within the next 48 hours.

They also urged them to investigate why Karseri was bypassed by transport schedules and ensure a steady rotation of vehicles to match the peak harvest pace.

“We have done our part by producing the grain. Now, seeing the result of our hard work lying under the sun with no way to move is heart-breaking and financially ruinous,” said another farmer.

A DPC staff member cited the transport contractor’s failure to provide vehicles as the primary cause for the backlog. “Under the current contract, at least one truck should be dispatched daily to transport the paddy to Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) warehouse at Thiruvathavur,” the staff member added.

He further said until the stock was cleared, there was no space for the farmers to store new arrivals.