Paddy Procurement Begins, Farmers Can Report Irregularities
Tamil Nadu has begun 2026-27 paddy procurement, offering higher incentives and a WhatsApp helpline for farmers to report irregularities at centres.
Paddy procurement for the 2026-27 season has commenced across delta and non-delta districts, with the State government announcing enhanced incentive payments to farmers and a WhatsApp facility to report irregularities at procurement centres.
Procurement centres began functioning from September 1, while procurement from farmers commenced on September 3. The State government has fixed the procurement price at Rs 2,750 per quintal for Grade-A paddy and Rs 2,600 per quintal for common paddy.
As of September 20, a total of 1.17 lakh tonnes of paddy had been procured from 20,196 farmers across the State.
The government said the incentive for Grade-A paddy had been increased from Rs 156 to Rs 289 per quintal, while the incentive for common paddy was raised from Rs 131 to Rs 159 per quintal, taking into consideration the welfare of Tamil Nadu farmers.
The State government also issued Government Order No. 15 on September 15, laying down standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the transparent and accountable functioning of paddy procurement centres.
Farmers facing difficulties at procurement centres, including complaints relating to the functioning of the centres or demands for money, can register their grievances through the Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation’s “Uzhavar Udhavi Maiyam” WhatsApp number 9500801465.
The officials said the grievance mechanism was intended to enable farmers to sell their paddy without difficulty and ensure greater transparency in the procurement process.