Chennai, Feb 7 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Food and Civil Supplies Department officials said that the Samba paddy procurement in the state is on expected lines.

The officials said that the Kuruvai paddy procurement in the state was a disaster as the monsoon failure and lack of irrigation from Cauvery waters led to a fall in production and hence procurement.

Tamil Nadu Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R Sakkarpani has also said that unlike the Kuruvai paddy procurement, the state is on course on expected lines in the procurement of Samba paddy.

The officials said that the Tamil Nadu government is operating 1493 Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) for Samba paddy procurement in the Delta districts of Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Mayiladuthurai and Cuddalore.

“We have already procured 6.08 lakh tonnes of Samba paddy from approximately 95,000 farmers through the DPCs operating in the Delta districts of the state,” Minister for Food and Civil Supplies R Sakkarpani told IANS.

He said that the demands put forward by farmers on procuring 1000 tonnes of paddy by each DPC have also been given a go ahead by the state government.

“The government is keen that the farmers do not suffer due to any unnecessary delays in procurement of paddy. The DPCs will be functioning on Sundays also,” the minister said.