The district administration has proposed to open 18 direct procurement centres through Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation in June, as paddy harvesting begins in Erode.
According to Agriculture Department officials, paddy crop cultivated on about 70,000 acre in the district for the current season is ready for harvesting. Water was released from the Bhavani Sagar Reservoir and the farmlands were irrigated through Kalingarayan Canal, Thadapalli – Arakankottai Canals and Lower Bhavani Project canal. Farmers were educated on selection of quality seeds, mechanised planting of saplings, fertilizer usage, weed management and insect control measures.
Harvesting using machines has commenced in Gobichettipalayam and Erode blocks and farmers were encouraged to sell their produce at the centres for which minimum support price was announced.
Collector C. Kathiravan said that Grade A variety paddy is procured for minimum support price of ₹ 1,905 a quintal and the common variety is purchased for ₹ 1,865 a quintal.
Villages where centres would function from June 1 are Kanjikovil and Pethampalayam, from June 5 – Gugalur, Nanjagoundampalayam, Puduvalliyampalayam, Pudukaraipudur, Karattipalayam, Mevani, Kasipalayam, T.N. Palayam, Elur, Kallipatti, Athani (Soundapur), Nanjai Puliyampatti, Ponnachipudur and Vairapalayam and on June 8 at Ganapathipalayam and June 10 at Kodumudi.
