Will take up issues related to paddy procurement with T.N. govt.: Palaniswami tells farmers

AIADMK general secretary and Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K. Palaniswami on Wednesday (October 22, 2025) assured farmers from the delta region that he would take up issues related to paddy procurement with the State government.

Interacting with farmers at a direct purchase centre in Kattur near Thanjavur, Mr. Palaniswami said he was aware of the problems faced by delta farmers as he himself was a farmer.

Assuring them he would take up the matter with the government, Mr. Palaniswami claimed “delta farmers were in tears” as their harvested produce has begun sprouting. “The government was cheating the farmers by stating on the floor of the Legislative Assembly that around 2,000 bags of paddy were being procured per day, whereas in reality, not more than 800 bags were procured,” he alleged.

Later in the day, Mr. Palaniswami visited some of the DPCs in Orathanadu region in Thanjavur district and Mannargudi region in Tiruvarur district, and spoke to farmers.

Minister responds

Food Minister R. Sakkarapani, after inspecting the paddy storage godown at Pillaiyarpati on the outskirts of Thanjavur town on Wednesday, listed out various steps initiated by the government to augment the paddy bags storage capacity in the delta region.

He denied the Leader of Opposition’s statements pertaining to the paddy procurement process. “What else can be expected from the Opposition party,” he wondered.

The Minister said 1,000 bags of paddy were being procured every day at DPCs.