Approve TN’s request to procure paddy with 22% moisture: Alagiri

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president KS Alagiri on Wednesday urged the Union government to accept Tamil Nadu government’s request to procure paddy vith moisture content upto 22% from farmers.

Referring to the letter the State government had written to the Union government recently to relax the conditions to procure paddy with moisture content upto 22% from farmer, Alagiri said that the Union government must accept the rationale and fairness behind the State government’s request to permit Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) to procure paddy from farmers. Reasoning that the paddy cultivated by farmers turn very moist during unexpected rainy season and render them difficult for sale, the TNCC chief said that the Union government must oblige Tamil Nadu government on the issue.

Also alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP regime was not ready to accept the law enabling procurement of agricultural produce only at MSP (Minimum Support Price), Alagiri said that unless the demand was accepted, there is no guarantee of MSP for farmers in the agricultural market. The issue is proof of the BJP regime being anti-farmer and pro-corporate, the state Congress chief said, accusing the Centre of destroying the livelihood of farmers. Claiming that the Union government has not announced MSP for 23 agriculture products, the TNCC chief recalled at length the farmers agitation against the now-repealed farm laws of the Centre, Alagiri said that the intention of Modi regime, which was not ready to implement M S Swaminathan committee recommendation for setting the price of agriculture produce at 50% higher than the actual production cost, was handing over the farm market to Adani and Ambani.