Paddy left exposed in Vadipatti DPC deteriorates in rain

Madurai/Trichy: Paddy sacks at a direct procurement centre near the railway station in Podinayakkanpatti in Vadipatti area of Madurai district deteriorated in the rain on Saturday after being left in the open for around 45 days due to lack of trucks to transport them.Many farmers from the area brought their paddy to the centre and piled it up, while procured paddy sacks were also stacked there. With no vehicles available to move the procured sacks, the paddy remained at the centre without being weighed and procured, creating a dire situation, affecting the farmer's livelihoods. The sacks got wet in the rain and dried in the sun. Consequently, some sacks sprouted, while others were damaged by rodents, causing paddy to spill out.Former MLA and AIADMK candidate for Sholavandan constituency, Manickam, visited the procurement centre at Vadipatti on Saturday and heard the farmers' grievances. He said more than 7,000 sacks lay in the field for 45 days, with many damaged by rodents and sprouting due to rain. He urged the district collector to take immediate action to transport the paddy sacks to govt warehouses to protect them from the rain. Kombaipatti and Kanakkanpatti, close to Palani, recorded heavy rain with gale force winds.