Tamil Nadu sets record in paddy procurement, says Government

CHENNAI: “Marking a remarkable milestone in agricultural efficiency, the Dravidian Model government under Chief Minister M K Stalin has achieved record paddy procurement figures this season, beginning the process a full month earlier than the previous AIADMK regime and securing a significant policy shift to increase the permissible moisture content from 17 to 22 per cent,” said a state government release on Sunday.

In a statement, the government said Tamil Nadu commenced paddy procurement on September 1, instead of October 1 as done during the previous regime. By October 24, 2025, a total of 10.40 lakh metric tonnes of paddy had already been procured through 1,853 Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) across the State.

“Under the Dravidian Model administration, Tamil Nadu has achieved an average annual procurement of 42.61 lakh metric tonnes, compared to just 22.70 lakh metric tonnes during the earlier government’s term, an impressive increase of nearly 20 lakh metric tonnes per year. Over the past four years, the total procurement has reached 1.70 crore tonnes, reflecting a sharp rise in both efficiency and farmer outreach,” the release said.

According to the release, Chief Minister Stalin personally appealed to the Union government to raise the acceptable moisture level in paddy from 17% to 22%, helping farmers sell their produce without rejection due to climatic variations. Acting swiftly, the Centre has deputed three expert teams to study the request in Tamil Nadu.

To ensure uninterrupted operations, the government has extended procurement hours by two additional hours daily, kept centres open even on Sundays, and accelerated rail-based grain transport from delta districts. Over 8.77 lakh metric tonnes have already been dispatched to storage points, with robust logistical planning ensuring daily movement through 13–15 goods trains and 4,000 lorries.