Slight increase in samba procurement expected in Tiruvarur district: Food Secretary

A slight increase is likely in samba procurement in Tiruvarur district during the current Kharif Marketing Season (KMS), according to K.S. Palanisamy, Secretary, Department of Co-operation and Food and Consumer Protection.

In an official release, the senior official said that a total of 5,21,603 tonnes of samba paddy was procured through direct purchase centres (DPC) during the 2025 KMS period in the district. This year, out of the 1,45,991 hectares on which samba paddy was raised, harvest had been completed in 31,218 hectares.

Around 4,25,000 tonnes of paddy was likely to be brought to the DPCs for measurement by the farmers, who would be completing the harvest in the remaining 1,14,774 hectares by month-end. Hence, the total procurement for the current season might touch 5,25,000 tonnes.

So far, a sum of ₹269.89 crore had been disbursed to 16,195 farmers through electronic clearing service within two days of measurement of paddy at the 540 DPCs functioning in the district.

There were six godowns with a capacity to hold 1,60,000 tonnes of paddy, five partially covered storage points having 56,250 tonnes capacity and 10 open storage facilities to hold 1,35,000 tonnes in the district. During inspection of the 3,00,00 tonne capacity open storage facility at Idaiyarnatham in Mannargudi tahluk, it was found that 9,816 tonnes of paddy had been stored there.

Zonal-level committees had been formed to check or prevent sale of paddy by non-farmers by producing “fake documents” at the DPCs, the official added.