Alleged irregularities in paddy DPCs have left the farmers embittered | Photo Credit: RAGHUNATHAN SR

The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has earned the ire of Tamil Nadu, particularly in Thanjavur, Tiruchirapalli, Mayiaduthurai and Chidambaram districts for various reasons. “Farmers in Tamil Nadu are feeling totally neglected. Various irregularities have been committed in some of the schemes,” said D Bharani, a progressive farmer in Kothangudi taluk in Tamil Nadu’s Mayiladuthurai district.

Slew of problems

Bharani and a few other farmers told businessline that farmers are not getting proper irrigation as desiltation of water canals has not been done. They allege irregularities at the paddy direct procurement centres (PDCs), which is a major issue, along with problems in the transportation of paddy to warehouses, lack of proper power supply and flood relief and delay in getting agricultural insurance.

However, DMK sources, who did not wish to be identified, denied these allegations. Alleged irregularities in paddy DPCs have left the farmers embittered. “We are losing our self-respect at the DPCs. Procurement is not done properly and is delayed most of the time,” said Bharani.

V Karthik, a farmer near Orathanadu in Thanjavur district, said paddy is allowed to dry for days at the DPCs, leading to the grains losing weight. “It is affecting our income,” he said. “At the DPCs, we are short-changed sometimes. I lost ₹1,000 when the weighed at least a sack of paddy less for me,” said PM Murugesan, a farmer in Sirkazhi in Chidambaram district.

He said farmers sought the installation of closed-circuit television cameras to check under-witing but to no avail. M Pandian, a farmer in Thanjavur’s Thiruvidamarudur, said the delay in the opening of DPCs before September 1 affects farmers who harvest early. “The paddy gets affected by rains and ends up with high moisture,” he said.

Bharani alleged that the transportation of paddy is being handled by a Namakkal-based agency, instead of local contractors. “The agency also hires these contractors, but pays them a paltry sum. This has forced these contractors to clear paddy from PDCs to the nearest mill at a slow pace,” he said. 

He alleged that farmers have to pay those manning DPCs ₹40, something that began during the earlier AIADMK regime. “There are a couple of such payments we have to make to get our paddy procured. That cuts our profit by 30 per cent,” he claimed. B Kumar, a farmer in Mayiladuthurai, said the number of PDCs were reduced in some of the regions, causing problems for some farmers in regions such as Mayiladuthurai and Chidambaram. 

Pandian said farmers who are cultivating on lands leased from temples in Chidambaram are not being provided the Kisan ID. “We are not asking for patta (registration). We have even mooted colour cards for those who have leased lands like the one they give in ration shops,” he said. Bharani said fertilizer dealers tag crop inputs and nutrients, forcing farmers to buy micronutrients when they purchase fertilizers such as urea. “A bag of urea costs ₹266, but we are forced to pay ₹300 and pick up the micronutrients. This has been happening for the past four years,” he said.

Agricultural insurance is another major grievance of the farmers. “We have not been paid for agricultural insurance on time. It has been pending for over a couple of years now,” said Karthik. Murugesan said the entire Sirkazhi taluk was inundated by 33 cm of rain, but 17 villages were left out. 

“Agri insurance claims received by the Tamil Nadu government have been diverted for freebies,” said an observer, who did not wish to be identified. Kumar said only large-holding farmers could opt for agri insurance, while small farmers suffer. The DMK source said: “The insurance scheme contribution from the Centre has come down. Our government has to compensate through its own contribution.”

No stocks

Bharani said the Tamil Nadu State Seed Development Agency (Tanseda) does not have stocks of the required seed varieties. “We have to go to private traders to get these seeds. Tanseda subsidises such purchases, but we are unable to avail them,” he said. Murugesan said the DMK government failed to provide any flood relief in the past four years. “The previous chief minister, Edappadi Palanisamy, entered a paddy field to inspect the loss. He then announced immediate flood relief,” he said.

An observer said farmers were looking for some relief or write-off of loans due to recent weather-related problems, but they were left disappointed. Farmers and observers say that these issues will likely be costly for the DMK at the hustings. A Krishnasamy, a 90-year-old farmer near Mannargudi, who has been continuously voting for the DMK, said there were no problems for farmers in the delta region.

Published on April 20, 2026