Tamil Nadu’s Food and Civil Supplies Minister R. Sakkarapani has attributed the delay in paddy procurement across the state to the Union government’s pending approval for fortified rice. Addressing reporters during his inspection of Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation’s (TNCSC) direct procurement centers on Wednesday, the minister said that although the state government is prepared to procure and process paddy from farmers, the absence of central clearance for fortified rice has slowed operations.
Under the fortified rice scheme, the state must blend fortified rice kernels (FRK) containing essential nutrients with milled rice in a 1:100 ratio before distribution. However, Sakkarapani explained that the Union government has yet to approve the fortified rice prepared by companies contracted by the state, as per new central guidelines. “The delay in central approval has, in turn, delayed the movement of rice from warehouses and procurement from farmers,” he said while inspecting facilities in Thanjavur.
The minister dismissed AIADMK leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s claim that the Union government had already approved Tamil Nadu’s fortified rice proposal in August. He clarified that the state had only invited bids for new contractors during that month in line with the revised guidelines. “If Palaniswami claims approval was granted, let him produce evidence. The public should not be misled,” Sakkarapani remarked.
According to him, five new contractors have since been trained in Delhi, and the fortified rice samples prepared by them are now being tested in laboratories for final approval by the Union government. Sakkarapani, accompanied by district collectors, visited several direct procurement centers and warehouses in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, Nagapattinam, and Mayiladuthurai to assess the ongoing procurement process.
Responding to Palaniswami’s statement that the AIADMK government had procured 1,000 bags of paddy per day, Sakkarapani countered that it was the DMK government that formally issued the government order setting this minimum procurement target. He further highlighted that the DMK administration has significantly upgraded TNCSC’s infrastructure over the past four years and has fulfilled its election promise by raising the minimum support price for paddy to ₹2,500 per quintal.