Relax moisture norms for paddy: TNCSC writes to Centre

The Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) has written to the Centre to relax the norms for moisture content in Kuruvai paddy, in order to help the farmers.

Kuruvai, means short-term, and this type of farming is popular in the Tanjavur district of Tamil Nadu.

According to the current norms for procurement of paddy, moisture content up to 17 per cent is tolerated. However, due to unseasonal rain, the moisture content is higher than 17 per cent, this year. The farmers of Thanjavur district are awaiting relaxation in moisture content norms for procurement of Kuruvai paddy from the Central Government.

The TNCSC has asked the Centre to permit procurement of paddy with a moisture content of up to 20 per cent. In the past, moisture content norms have been relaxed for Kuruvai paddy, whenever, rain has affected it and moisture content of up to 20 per cent has been allowed for TNCSC to purchase it.

In view of the 17 per cent moisture allowed, the farmers have to now dry the paddy, before selling it in the District Procurement Centres (DPCs).

The TNCSC proposes to increase the number of DPCs to cope with increased arrival of paddy, as the Kuruvai harvest has picked up. Around eight tonnes of paddy is expected per hectare.

According to TNCSC, 312 DPCs are functioning in the district of which three are mobile DPCs. It is proposed to increase the number to 400 depending on the requirement. The DPCs have been instructed to purchase 1,000 bags of 40 kg each per day, which is immediately transported to godowns and rice mills.