Ranipet farmers seek DPCs for kuruvai paddy

According to Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam youth wing president R Subash, “this is the fallout of the Centre recently permitting farmers to sell their produce wherever they wanted at their own rates.” While the DPCs in the last season offered Rs 1,905 per 100 kilo bag of superfine rice, and Rs 1,865 for the coarser varieties, the prices in the regulated market at Amoor in Ranipet district ranged from Rs 859 – Rs 875 per 75 kilo bag of CO 53 variety, between Rs 775 and Rs 920 for the Super Ponni variety and between Rs 1,551 and Rs 1,719 for the Sona variety.

Asked about this, farmers said that the price reduction in RMs was due to traders forming cartels. Officials said they were helpless as RMs were meant for the direct interaction between farmers and traders. Moreover, Civil Supplies Corporation officials were chary of opening DPCs due to the monsoon and comfortable stock for supply to PDS in the state.