Madurai/Trichy: Paddy sacks stored at a direct procurement centre near the railway station in Podinayakkanpatti, located in the Vadipatti area of Madurai district, deteriorated under rainfall on Saturday after being left exposed in the open for approximately 45 days due to a shortage of trucks for transportation.
Numerous farmers from the surrounding region brought their paddy to the centre and piled it up, while sacks of already procured paddy were also stacked there. With no vehicles available to move the procured sacks, the paddy remained at the centre without being weighed or officially procured, creating a dire situation that severely affected the livelihoods of the farmers. The sacks became wet from the rain and subsequently dried under the sun. As a result, some sacks began to sprout, while others were damaged by rodents, causing paddy to spill out onto the ground.
Former MLA and AIADMK candidate for the Sholavandan constituency, Manickam, visited the procurement centre at Vadipatti on Saturday and listened to the farmers' grievances. He stated that more than 7,000 sacks had been lying in the field for 45 days, with many damaged by rodents and sprouting due to the rain. He urged the district collector to take immediate action to transport the paddy sacks to government warehouses to protect them from further damage caused by the rain. Meanwhile, Kombaipatti and Kanakkanpatti, areas close to Palani, recorded heavy rainfall accompanied by gale-force winds.
