Big relief to farmers as TN govt fixes Rs 2,500/quintal for paddy, flexibility in moisture content from Sept 1

CHENNAI: In a key announcement fulfilling a major electoral promise, Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, R Sakkarapani, on Tuesday informed the Assembly that the government will procure paddy at Rs 2,500 per quintal starting September 1, 2025.

He also hinted at the possibility of increasing the support price even further, depending on prevailing conditions.

Replying to the debate on demands for grants to his department, Sakkarapani said, "As committed in our election manifesto, farmers will receive Rs 2,500 per quintal of paddy from September. The government is also exploring the feasibility of providing a higher rate, keeping in mind the welfare of the farming community."

The minister reaffirmed the DMK government's commitment to ensuring the welfare of farmers and providing high-quality essential commodities to ration cardholders.

"After this government assumed office in May 2021, over 19.62 lakh new ration cards have been issued to eligible families. The process of reviewing applications and issuing more cards is underway," he noted.

Highlighting efforts to maintain the integrity of the Public Distribution System (PDS), the minister said that the government had weeded out ineligible beneficiaries.

"A total of 6,11,787 ration cards have been cancelled after purging deceased individuals from the list and junking duplicate entries. As a result, 27,75,923 names have been removed from the system. For those who have lost their cards, duplicate family cards are being issued for a fee of Rs 50. So far, 9.44 lakh duplicate cards have been sent via post," he said.

Sakkarapani also said that monthly ration card grievance redressal camps are being conducted across the State to address issues such as name changes, address modifications, and card type alterations.

"Between May 2021 and March 2025, a total of 2,01,785 requests have been resolved through these camps," he informed the House.

Touching upon the central government's role in determining procurement norms, the minister pointed out that the Union government fixes the moisture content levels in paddy, a key determinant in procurement.

"Last year, following repeated representations by the State, the Centre agreed to relax the moisture content limit from 17% to 20%. Despite our request this year, especially after Cyclone Fengal's impact, the Centre declined to make any concessions. However, to protect the interests of farmers, the State is still procuring paddy with higher moisture content at Direct Procurement Centres," he explained.

The minister's remarks were in response to a query raised by AIADMK MLA Ashok Kumar from Krishnagiri, who questioned the rigidity in moisture content norms.