Ranipet farmers yet to be paid for offloading paddy in NCCF-run DPCs

RANIPET: Farmers in Ranipet were yet to receive payment for the paddy supplied to direct procurement centres (DPCs) operated by the National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF) even after a lapse of one month.

VS Shankar, one of the farmers of Vembakkam (Arcot taluk) met state Food Secretary J Radhakrishnan and appraised him of the situation.

Shankar, who also trekked repeatedly to the NCCF office in Chennai, said “officials were non-committal about when payment will be made to Ranipet farmers, though their counterparts in adjoining Tiruvallur and Kancheepuram districts have received it.”

He said that officials cited various reasons, including server problems and lack of fund flow, for the delay but were unable to give a definite date as to when the farmers would be paid for the paddy. Payment was due for crops supplied in the last week of September this year, he added.

When contacted, a NCCF official on Monday said that all payments are regularly issued and if any disbursal is pending the farmer concerned can contact us directly.

However, Shankar reiterated that no payment was received by seven farmers who supplied paddy to Vembakkam DPC. Similarly, Sampath, a farmer of Kuppudisatham (Kalavai taluk), reiterated that while he had received payment, nearly half of those who supplied paddy to the DPC in his village were yet to receive any payment.

Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam youth wing state president R Subash said that farmers who supplied paddy to the Vembakkam NCCF DPC were yet to receive payment.

As per practice, payments are directly credited into the farmers’ bank accounts within a week of offloading their paddy stocks at DPCs. Though similar issues cropped up at DPCs operated by the TN Civil Supplies Corporation, they were set right immediately. But, with NCCF officials not being forthcoming, farmers are in a bind as they need the money to settle crop loans and also apply for financial assistance for the next crop.